


(Repost) "The Suit Incident" - a McFassy Fairytale

by Phonejoker



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) RPF
Genre: Community: mcfassy, M/M, RPF, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-04
Updated: 2012-06-04
Packaged: 2017-11-06 19:51:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/422577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phonejoker/pseuds/Phonejoker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>McFassy,Fassavoy,McBender. it starts off with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender just being friends, when a certain "Suit Incident" and a gay rights activity makes them get closer to each other than any of them expected...but what happens when the press finds out about their relationship? Rating is M, this is Slash and a realpersonfic</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Suit

**Author's Note:**

> This is a REPOST of a fanfic I wrote on fanfiction.net a few months ago, as expected it has been deleted - so I decided to re-post this here for you lovely people to read :D I have to highly thank my lovely beta "Lunetta the Windgodess" for correcting most of my mistakes ;) read her Cherik ffs ,people, they rock! 
> 
> http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1886146/Lunetta_The_Wind_Goddess
> 
> If you don't like realpersonff, then close this tab now...NOW...not?- ok, then enjoy !!

*please imagine an old fairy- tale- teller- grandpa sitting in an armchair in front of a fire opening a giant book and beginning to read*  
Once upon a time in a land far, far away there were two men as different as two men can be.  
(They were both good- looking, though.) The land was to be called “the land of the Eng” (also known as England) and right now they were both preparing for a great event.   
THE event, the premiere of their film X-Men First Class in a city called London. One of them was standing in the bathroom in front of a mirror, shaving. The man was to be the kindest, nicest and most –  
“Oh, holy shit!” James cried out, he had cut himself with the shaver.  
*story-teller- grandpa looks up from his book, puzzled “Huh, that’s not the story I was going to tell!” “Well, then let me do it!” Young, good- looking man comes in, grabs the book out of grandpas hands and starts reading…..*  
…”Is everything fine, darling?” the voice of his wife sounded through the flat.   
“Yeah, yeah, everything’s all right.” James shouted back.  
He looked up to himself on the mirror, put a finger on the small cut and grimaced. “Just cut myself.”   
His wife appeared in the doorway and smiled   
“You have to be more careful, James, it’s your great evening, after all.”   
James smiled at her and nodded, then turned back towards the mirror. Yeah, my great evening. Everything was fine. Everything. He should be the happiest man alive. But he wasn’t and he didn’t know why.

Same time, a few kilometers away, the other man was also preparing himself in his flat.   
He was alone inside and currently standing in front of his bed (only in boxers), on which there were three different jackets, a black one, a grey one and a white one. He put the white one away, stood in front of the black and the grey one for some time, then decided to take the grey jacket.  
With that jacket there was only a pair of grey trousers and a grey shirt, but anyway, it wouldn’t look too formal.  
James would be wearing something formal, too. He knew him, James would never arrive in Jeans and T-shirt on a premiere.  
Besides if they both took the sunglasses, it would look more casual.  
Yeah, this evening was going to be great. He picked up his mobile and called for the car.

“Can we leave, the car is waiting?” his wife stood in the doorway and pointed her head towards it.   
That moment James just went out of the bathroom, fumbling with the last button of his casual, unformal- looking blue shirt.   
He looked up. His wife was wearing a tight dress, she was beautiful.   
He walked towards her and kissed her on the cheek. Just when she was about to close the door behind them, something occurred to him.   
“Wait a second”, he said, opening the door and jogging inside again.  
He heard his wife sigh behind him. The sunglasses, where had he put them? Ah, there they were, on the bed. James jogged out of the flat again, closing the door and putting the sunglasses on, while turning to his wife.   
He made a funny face. “So, how do I look like?” Anne- Marie laughed and kissed him saying “Little Idiot.” Then they got into their car and drove off.

The Premiere was great, full of fans, screaming out their names.  
Michael was surprised how much he still enjoyed this sort of special attention.  
He had just posed for a few pictures in front of the cameras, when James arrived.   
And he wasn’t wearing a suit! Hnhngrngrgr, Michael thought, because his suit looked overdressed towards James.   
All the attention was now on the two of them. James was coming towards him, standing next to him and Michael immediately put an arm around his waist.   
The fangirls’ screams reached a new maximum and Michael was satisfied.   
At least James was wearing his sunglasses, too.   
It had been Michaels idea to put them on, to have a kind of partner- look effect.  
James decided that the Paparazzis had gotten enough photos and pulled the still camera- grin grinning Michael inside with him.  
James was glad to see his friend and to be around so many others.   
When they shot X- Men Michael had been around all day and James had seriously missed him.  
He wouldn’t tell him that, though. Had Michael missed him, too?  
It didn’t look very much like it. Right now he was talking to a few Co- Stars smiling and laughing.  
James decided it was best to not spoil anyones’ mood and went over to the little group to be part of the conversation.  
Soon a bell rang and they were all asked to take their seats in the cinema.   
James was seated next to Michael, of course. Maybe it had just been on the set of X- Men where he and Michael did everything together.   
The weirdest stuff and it was now that James realized they had actually become friends, although Michael hadn’t addressed a word to him this evening.  
Apart from “Hi”, of course.

Why was James so silent today?  
Had he been having trouble in his marriage? Or with his son? Wouldn’t he have told him?   
Although Michael was talking to Kevin at the moment (or rather Kevin was babbling on and on about some aaawsome car he had bought), his eyes always wandered to James.   
He seemed to be seriously depressed, but Michael wouldn’t ask him right here, right now.  
Not in front of all the people. But if James had problems, wasn’t he, his friend, the first one to ask for advice?   
No, he had his wife and his son. No need to talk about anything personal to a guy who he had only known for the time shooting.  
Had James forgotten about all the silly stuff they had done together?   
Fortunately that was the moment when the film started releasing Michael from his thoughts.  
The film was a complete success. James’ hands were hot and red from being shaken so often.   
He smiled exhaustedly to Michael who was standing in a group of women.  
Michael caught his look and smiled back. He excused himself. “Sorry Ladies, I’m afraid I godda go.”  
The girls looked after him desperately while he was walking towards James and again put a hand around his waist, guiding him to a table with lots of Co- Stars standing around, laughing.  
On the way he whispered into James’ ear. “Whatever problem you may have, pal, try to look amused. This is our evening.” Michael was right.   
This was THEIR evening.   
James tried not to think too much about the prickling feeling Michaels lips had left on his ear and tried to bring himself into the conversation.  
From that point on the evening turned funnier and the level of alcohol went higher, too.   
His wife was somewhere around, talking to other stars. She had said, this was his and Michaels night.   
And it was. Just that second Michael shouted:” Hey stop, this is my suit.” A guy ,none of them new, had grabbed Michaels expensive looking suit jacket, which he had put next to him on the table. Michaels hand grabbed it in the last moment, but the guy tried to pull it out of his hands.   
Someone was shouting for security and the thief tried to pull the jacket out of Michaels hands one last time.   
He didn’t succeed, but suddenly there was a loud ripping- sound and the jacket was nearly ripped in two halves.   
There was a huge crack in it. Fortunately the security arrived and caught the wannabe thief before he wanted to flee.  
Michael looked not amused. “My suit.” He said and looked down on James holding the suit up in the air.  
James had to smile at the exaggeratedly sad face Michael made.   
“Well I fear you must put the wonderful thing into the rubbish now.” James started stroking the suit. “I’ve had a great time with you.” He said to it.   
Michael looked even less amused.   
“This silly thing hasn’t been very cheap and I will rather let it repair for god knows how much money, instead of buying a new one.”  
“Give it to me, then.” James said stretching out his hand.   
“Why that? Don’t tell me you can sew.”   
“I can.”   
“And you can repair this?”  
“I can.”  
Michaels face lightened. “You would do that for me?” and hugged him.   
James chuckled. “You sound like a little girl.” Michael pulled a face and said in a high voice.  
“Thanks Mum.” They laughed and suddenly the evening was perfect.

A few days later Michael was called.   
“Hi, it’s James. Listen, about the suit, can you bring it here? I have to take measure. “,  
“Eeerm….take measure? Sure, yeah I can come over to your place. Would right now be too early?”   
“Haha, right now’s perfect.”   
“Okay, see you in a few minutes, then.” Michael wanted to leave immediately, but something held him back.   
After all, James was a good friend and good friends shouldn’t appear in front of each other without showering… and perfume…and what shall I wear generally?  
Two hours later Michael stood in front of the house James’ flat was in.   
He ringed and James opened the door, letting him inside.  
He looked cute in a grey pullover and Jeans and he was wearing….teddy bear house shoes?   
Michael looked at James’ feet, started laughing, hugged him briefly and entered the flat. James grabbed his hand and led him into the living room. Michael looked around.  
“It’s so silent in here, where is Anne- Marie and your son?”  
James had walked past him and was now trying to get a huge box out of a cupboard.   
“They are visiting a friend in Chester.” Michael didn’t know why he felt relieved about this.  
Maybe because conversations with James were always at ease and funny, maybe if his wife was here that mood couldn’t exist in the way it could when the two of them were alone.  
Maybe. There was a loud rumbling and the box flew down the cupboard (maybe James had pulled a bit too hard) and landed on his head.  
Michaels first impulse was to laugh, because it looked incredibly funny, the way James sank dramatically on the nearby couch.  
“Ouuuch, ocuh ouch ouch ouch ouch.” James rubbed his head and looked up to him.  
His eyes were so blue. And he looked even cuter while lying down before him looking up at him and now that his upper part of the body was on the couch his teddy bear house shoes were high in the air.  
Michael walked towards him and his fingers began to play with on teddy bear shoe ear. “Shall I get you anything? Ice for your head, a new pair of shoes?”  
James laughed and rubbed his head. His hair was messy and he had a thick swelling on his forehead.  
“Ice would be nice…and nothing against my shoes. Don’t you see the greater meaning of them? They’re art!”  
Michael chuckled. He always had to when James was around, somehow. He went into the kitchen to fetch some ice and when he came back James was already sitting on the sofa, the box opened up next to him. “So that is the magic box?” James looked up. “Yup, that is the magic box with the magic equipment.”  
Michael chuckled “Shall I get the magic jacket, then?”   
“No I’ve already got it here.” James pointed next to him and Michael sat down.  
James looked up “Oh, that’s gonna take a little while. First I have to damage it even more by chopping some threads and then I have to see if it fits you and close the threads while you are wearing it. This is going to be a long day.”  
Michael moved over to him until he nearly sat on James’ lap and put his nose to the other mans’ cheek.   
“Thaaaaank yoouuuuuu”, he said imitating a childs’ voice.  
It really took a long time, but Michael felt great talking to James for hours, laughing and just putting on the TV, watching some crappy childrens’ program.  
At some point, where a little pink Dinosaur burst out in tears, because the little blue Dinosaur hit him on the head with an ice-cream wafer, James finally said:” I’m done, now I only need you to get up, so I can put the threads together the right way.”  
“Sure”, Michael got up and turned off the TV.  
He went into the middle of the room. James pulled a measuring tape out of the box.  
“Eerm, you need to put off your shirt, so that I can measure correctly.” He blushed slightly and looked down on the floor to hide it, but Michael caught it and laughed.  
Why should he be nervous about this? In “Hunger” the crew and millions of watchers had seen him half naked, so why being nervous now?  
He tried to pull his shirt off in a cool way and threw it on the floor. James looked up at him his face was still so slightly blushed that you could hardly notice it. He went around Michael and stopped behind him.  
“First of all I have to measure your shoulder width.” He said slowly and his voice sounded kind of husky. His mouth was inches away from his ear. Every hair on Michaels’ neck began to stand erect and a never felt sensation went through his body.  
James was so near behind him, he could feel the heat of his body.   
James’ hands were accidently brushing his skin slightly. Please don’t let me shiver, Michael thought.   
Everything, but not shiver. He could feel the measuring tape being carefully pressed onto his shoulders.  
And that was only the beginning. Michael was concentrating one half of his brain on not to shiver and the other on the feeling of James’ hands on his shoulders.  
The wonderful feeling. Stop. Wonderful? After all this was just his friend.   
And Michael realized that he didn’t sleep with anyone for quite some time. That must be it, he thought.  
“That’s it, I’m done with your shoulders.” Michael was too lost in the memory of the feeling of James’ touch on his shoulders.   
They were still prickling. He couldn’t speak, so he just nodded. “Fine. Now I need to measure you waist.” Another nod.   
There they were again. James’ hands on his bare skin. His fingers were ever so softly putting the tape around his waist. Michael looked down. James was kneeling at his side.   
His warm breath was coming towards Michaels skin and James’ thick, brown hair had fallen into his face.  
He looked extremely cute and was completely absorbed by his work.  
Michael was disappointed when his fingers broke the contact with his skin and the measuring tape was gone. James stood up and Michael saw that the blush on his face was a little bit deeper than before.  
Just a slight difference. Had he noticed the goose flesh on Michaels neck?

*”Stop, stop, stop!” the fairy tale grandpa has arisen from his chair and is wildly gesturing with his hands.  
“That’s enough I don’t want to hear any more! This man has feelings towards another man, a man who is married!   
This story has to be forbidden! The poor children who wanted a good night tale!”  
Good- Looking guy is looking up from the book with a bored expression on his face   
“It’s not a story for children. Besides the book is called “1001 slashy tales” what do you expect?”  
Grandpa looks puzzled and sits back in his chair again. After all even he wants to know how it’s going on…*

It was about 10 P.M. when James finally put his stuff away and said. “Finished.”   
No reaction.  
He looked around Michael had actually fallen asleep on the sofa next to him.   
His head rested on the armrest and his mouth was half open releasing little snoring sounds.   
The Scotsman grinned to himself and poked the other man into his shoulder.  
He wouldn’t wake up. Then James had an idea. He moved over to Michael and put his mouth just above his ear.  
“Michael, wake uhuup!” He aspirated. “Michael.” That wouldn’t work either.   
James leaned down even deeper and tenderly blew into his ear. It didn’t take two seconds to get Michael jump to his feet.   
“Where am- ah, right the suit incident.” Michael laughed.   
“Congratulations, James. I have never been awakened that fondly. Not even by a woman. You would make a wonderful housewife.”   
They both burst out in laughter imagining James in a pink blanket.  
Michael was the first one to get serious. “Are you finished with the suit?”  
“Yup - Tadaaaa”, James held the grey thing in the air looking triumphantly.   
Michael cocked his head to the site. “It looks like the day, when I bought it. Wow, James, thank you. Now I’m gonna invite you to dinner so that we can celebrate your skills.”  
James smiled “I’d love to, wait I have to fetch my jacket first. “  
The moment James showed up in the doorway in his jacket, a huge thunder could be heard outside and it was now that they realized it was raining very hard.   
“Ok, no dinner outside, then.” James cheerfully said pulling off his jacket.  
“Let’s just order some Pizza and beer and watch another childrens’ program.”   
And so they did.  
Ordered Pizza, drank some beer and enjoyed watching the childrens’ program about a little unicorn that had to find his other unicorn friends, which had been stolen by an evil wizard.  
They laughed all the way through the film, but the moment Michael enjoyed most was when James snuggled up against his shoulder and started to sleep.   
He looked so peaceful.  
Michael rose his hand carefully and pulled one of his brown strands behind his ear.   
James shifted, but didn’t wake up.  
“You look so cute, when you’re asleep, you know.” Michael said in a hushed voice.  
The other man still didn’t wake up. Good. But should he be sleeping on the couch in his own house?  
No, Michael decided to take him to bed, pulled his teddy bear shoes off his feet and let him sleep.  
But the moment he wanted to sneak out of the room silently, James woke up. He looked sleepy.  
“You don’t need to take the couch, my bed is big enough for the two of us.” After that he fell asleep again.  
Michael shook his head, put off his shirt and crawled under the sheets next to James.  
“Good Night, James.” Michael said slowly.   
“Hnnnnnn.” Was the answer and with a smile on his face Michael fell asleep.

The next day James woke up from the doorbell ringing.   
Michael was still asleep next to him. He had put off his shirt.   
The ringing sounded annoying. Who the hell rang that early in the morning.   
James looked at his watch. 10 a.m, hmmm ok maybe not that early, but still too early for him.   
Could it be his wife? She said she’d be here tomorrow afternoon.   
That was far too soon. Anyway what should he ell her? That he had been drunk and asked Michael to sleep in their bed? Yes. No.  
He didn’t need to tell her the whole truth.  
James was still wearing yesterdays’ clothes, when he opened the door.  
“Good Morning, Mr. McAvoy.” A very young, fresh looking man was standing in front of him.   
“Who gave you my address?” James asked puzzled.   
No Paparazzi knew his address and that was good so what did this guy want from him?   
“Your agent gave it to me after I told him something that might interest you.”   
Something that might interest him? What was this guy talking about?  
“Herewith I would like to invite you and your college and friend Michael Fassbender to “The gay rights” Activity here in London next week.”


	2. Gay Rights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole fan- stalking thing developed from an interview that James once gave about dealing with being recognised, everything else emerged from my own weird mind ^^

Gay Rights? Was this supposed to be a joke?

“Gay Rights? Sure we’re gonna do this, right Jamy?”  
Michael had showed up behind him, of course, still not wearing his shirt. James didn’t want to know what impression they were having on this guy. Both sleepy, hungover and Michael without his shirt…  
The guy cleared his throat and his eyes immediately caught the sight of Michael leaning in the doorway, close next to James.  
Very close.  
Michael was all himself and went into a light chat with the gay- rights guy, giving James the opportunity to deal with the situation on his own.  
He tried not to think too much about Michaels arm and hip, brushing his body the one or the other time he changed his position, laughed or made a movement with his hand.  
It was not like James didn’t want to be part of the activity and it didn’t surprise him either, he was being invited to all sorts of events with Michael. It was just the fact that this was something that needed a lot of time, no fast decisions or-  
“Of course we will participate!” Michael bawled loudly.  
What?  
Michael put his arm in a great gesture around James’ shoulders.  
What?  
“It’ll be fun marrying James in front of a thousand fangirls.”  
WHAT? Had he missed something? Definitely!  
“Eeer, Michael…” he started, but was cut off by his babbling friend. “It’ll be a pleasure to be part of your great arrangement.”  
The gay- rights guy, Francis, grinned cheerfully in James direction. “Erm, Michael…” James started again, sounding a little more pressing this time. Michael didn’t seem to notice him. He was talking about how much the prohibition of gay marriage had always annoyed him and that he didn’t really think about doing something against it until now.  
“Michael, I think we should-“  
James tried a third time while his friend was taking a breather.  
Michael finally turned his head towards him.  
“Yeah, James, you’re right. We should definitely be a part of it.” James turned to Francis.  
“Give us your phone number so we can call you, when it’s a hundred percent sure that we’re gonna be there.”  
Francis gave him a little card with his number on it, which James grabbed out of his hand.  
He thanked him and pulled Michael inside his flat before closing the door not too softly.  
“What was that supposed to be?”  
James was furious. “Would you be so kind to tell me what exactly we are going to do on that activity?” (he left the “I didn’t listen, because I was too fixed on your remarkably sexy body”- part out).  
Michael looked surprised. “I thought you wanted to go too?”  
They decided to continue the conversation in the kitchen.  
James made some coffee and ,while speaking, didn’t turn around to Michael, who was sitting on the table.  
“I wanted to go, but this needs to be discussed properly. What are we going to do, anyway?” He heard a soft chuckle behind him. Michael had stood up and was now standing directly behind James.  
“You really didn’t listen at all, did you?” Michael said into his ear.

James couldn’t move. This was definitely going into the wrong direction.  
Completely wrong. How could something so wrong feel so good?  
Before James could end the thought Michaels body behind his was gone, he had returned to the kitchen table and was now leaning casually against it.  
James couldn’t concentrate in the coffee anymore.  
He turned around too, facing Michael and approaching him.  
His voice sounded demanding.  
” Michael, tell what exactly did Francis ask us to do?”  
the other man chuckled, finding that James sounded incredibly like the female llama in “Llamas with hats”.  
“Hejstaskdustmarry…”  
James was coming even nearer, an angry little labrat.  
“What.did.he.say?”  
Michael felt hemmed standing between the table and a more or less furious James. His gaze went towards the floor, studying the little crumbs there.  
James was now standing directly in front of him, merely inches away from his body.  
“He asked us to marry in front of a few cameras. I mean, representatively for all the gay couples, who want to get married. I thought you wanted it, too.”  
Michael expected James to explode, or at least say something, but James just smiled, took a step back and said:  
” Let’s go shopping.”  
And shopping they did.

James had constrained Michael not to wear sunglasses today.  
He knew the two of them couldn’t go outside without wearing sunglasses, because they’d be easier to recognize.  
And that was all part of one of his favourite amusements and he usually only did this, when he was really, really bored – and with Michael.  
The game was called “Fan- stalking”.  
It was basically just the two of them walking down the street and looking for clothes or something to eat.  
They had invented it during the shooting of X-men when James was complaining to Michael about how stalkish Fangirls could become.

So they had decided to turn the tables and now every time they thought that someone had recognized them, one of them walked over and started a very normal conversation about something really silly with them.  
Most girls usually started to burst out into laughter, when James did his  
“Hi, what time is it?” –show.  
The show was just walking over (which drove most fangirls to hyperventilate) to the people, asking them what time it was and then stating in a really silly voice, that he was an actor and therefore not always had a watch.  
The hardcore- fangirls (which didn’t faint at their sight) mostly started going into incredibly loud peep- tones and Michael swore that once one of them had even reached supersonic.  
James was currently standing in a supermarket, scuffing through the storage racks- he was desperately in need of chocolate and about half an hour later the two of them were standing in a shopping mall. James had a huge bag with him stuffed with marshmallows, gummi bear, chocolate, even more chocolate…(have I mentioned chocolate yet?) and was putting one piece after another in his mouth, while Michael was watching him, amused.  
They were waiting for their first victim, both silent and searching through the people to see, whether any of them recognized them. Michael noticed, that James had “the cliché-piece-of-chocolate-that-looks-incredibly-cute-and-wants-to-be-wiped-away-tenderly” all over his face.  
On his nose, his cheeks, his chin.  
He looked hilarious, but although everything in Michael screamed for touching James’ face and licking the chocolate away, his dark side (yes, Michael had joined the dark side years ago in exchange of unlimited access to cookies) took over and left the chocolate in place, making James look like a 5- year old, who couldn’t eat properly.  
“Why are you grinning?” James asked concerned.  
“Is there something on my face?” he started rubbing his face with his sleeve, but spread the chocolate even more.  
He had a long brown chocolate stripe across his face.  
“Everything’s fine.” Michael assured him, smiling innocently while his dark side let out a loud “muhahahaha”. 

They finally spotted their first victims.  
Two girls, propably twelve- year- olds, who were staring into their direction. Perfect.  
They exchanged a look and Michael pressed his hand on James’ back, giving James a sign that he should go first.  
This was going to be fun.  
They casually and slowly walked towards the girls, Michael stopping a few meters away from the girls, James walking straight towards them.  
They both stared up at him, mouths open, big eyes wandering what would come next. James thought for a short moment and then decided to do one of his oldest and best “shows”.  
He leaned down towards one girl.  
“Excuse me, dear, you wouldn’t happen to know what time it is?” she looked like she was going to collapse, her breath was going very fast and her mouth was still open, unable to produce a tone.  
James still didn’t understand what effect he and his friend had on women or girls.  
First it had been really scary being recognized in the street, but when he had started to get used to it, it had also started to become more and more annoying.  
Yet, in a very silly way, he enjoyed making fun of them, although he didn’t like that part of himself very much, but hell it was fun and Michael was here with him.  
The second girl was alert enough to get out her watch and said with a shaking voice:  
” I-It’s 2 PM, Sir.”  
James smiled at her and pulled his silliest face.  
With a gesture of his hand he said:  
” Ahh, forget about the “Sir”, to you I’m just James. You know, I don’t always wear a watch, because I’m an actor and sometimes my characters don’t wear a watch, so I’m not used to it, you see.” The girls looked flabbergasted. It was incredible how much he enjoyed this expression on their faces.  
Finally one of them started to speak:  
” Eerm, are you James McAvoy?” she looked like she had scraped together all of her courage for this single question. James played his role perfectly.  
“Well, if you mean THE James McAvoy, the actor, then yes. I am James McAvoy.”  
Did little girls look like this on Christmas?  
Eyes popping out of their heads as they looked at each other, then back at James.  
“Why do you have brown spots all over your face?” one of them suddenly asked. James’ hand went up to his face.  
“Brown spo- Michael!” he turned around to the now grinning man, who was standing a few meters away from them, slowly approaching, grinning and showing as many teeth as anyone could show.  
Michael held his hands up defensively. “Haha, don’t worry about it James, it suits you.”  
James flushed and felt hot, when (finally) the girls started to squeak.  
Michael looked at his watch.  
Wow, James had put up another record. It had taken him only 1:46 minutes to bring them to squeak.  
He was good.  
“Oh my goooood, James McAvoy AND Michael Fassbender TOGETHER. That’s the best day of my life aahhhhhhhhh.” 

James and Michael just exchanged a look. Probably it was time to go now, James thought, when one of the girls said:  
” Does that mean the rumors are true?”

What rumors? What was she talking about?

“You two really are a couple?”  
WHAT??? James looked over to Michael, who had one eyebrow risen and was looking inquiringly at the girls.  
James himself looked like one big question mark and still ridiculous (in a very cute way) with the chocolate on his face.  
“There are numerous blogs on the internet that post things about you two being together…” one of the girls said, blushing and looking down.  
For a moment everything was silent, but suddenly James heard Michaels open laughter.  
He laughed, loud and fullheartedly and James recognized how very much he had gotten used to it and liked it. Michael turned towards him.  
“James-“ he said with a smug- smile “you know what we are going to do when we get home, don’t you?”

Not much time later the two of them were sitting on the sofa, eyes on the laptop in front of them. Anne- Marie was still not home and James didn’t want to be thinking of what she would be thinking of Michael sleeping in their bed… Michael had just opened up the internet window, when James’ stomach started to grumble. James leant against a sofa pillow.  
“I feel sick.” He complained and looked up at Michael. The other man was for a short moment distracted by James eyes and cute look (the chocolate had been forgotten for obvious reasons) with the brown stripes and spots STILL on his face.  
“Maybe you shouldn’t have eaten one pack of Marshmallows, about 50 gummi bears and 3 bars of chocolate.”  
Michael suggested with a small chuckle. James grunted and pressed his face into the pillow.  
“But it tasted so fine and I really needed it.”  
“Yeah, you absolutely look like you did.” Michael said still smiling and turning his attention towards Google again.  
“Okay, what shall I ask for? Hmm what about just writing our names?” a hushed “Hmpff” came from the pillow as an answer. 

Michael Fassbender and James MvAvoy  
Michael let out a surprised sound.  
He had known that there had been some rumors about him and James due to their strong friendship, but THAT? The images were all showing him and James, some of them were even drawn and not only photoshopped, in various positions, having sex, kissing, standing next to each other, holding hands.  
“Oh” James had arisen from the sofa and was sitting again, pressing the pillow against his stomach.  
“Looks like we have quite a fandom out there.”  
They looked at each other and burst out into laughter, James leaning his head against Michaels shoulder.  
Every time they stopped laughing a single look at the pictures or at each other made them laugh hysterically again. The laughter erased any kind of skepticism in James and when they finally came to an end he said:  
” We’re going to call Francis. We will be part of that activity whatever sacrifices we may have to make!” 

Michael was happy.  
James seemed really determined about this.  
They called Francis, who was very nice and gentle and shouted “Yaaaaaaaaay ahoooooooooo” when James told him that they were going to attend the fake marriage ceremony. 

The best moment of the day was when they discovered the t-shirts.  
Shirts in various colors with slogans like “Stay classy – ship McFassy” on and James had the idea to wear them for the ceremony.  
This would not only make them more popular, but also the activity. Hitting the headlines from time to time was very important for them, so they decided to order two shirts. One in white, the other one in black, so that it would match their suits.  
James was just clicking on the “buy”- button.  
Michaels gaze traveled from his hand to his arm and from his arm to his face.  
The chocolate was still there. James was reading something about the shipping- policy. He looked so concentrated, his eyes moving and Michael caught the site of his lips. Pink lips, full lips – kissable lips. This was the perfect moment.  
There was no way of denying his attraction towards James and, hell, he had had other guys. Michaels hand slowly approached James’ face and touched the bridge of his nose.  
James looked up, away from the Laptop.  
Their gazed locked, a silent agreement. Michael was unsure, he had never been unsure of himself and the fear of being rejected by James held him back from kissing him right now.  
But it didn’t keep him from approaching his wet lips to James nose, his face only inches away from his friend. James remained in position. Probably he knew what Michael was going to do, probably he didn’t. But he didn’t move, hardly breathed. Michaels lips touched James’ nose and he tenderly licked the chocolate off James’ nose- all in one.  
If James was shocked he didn’t show it. If he was disgusted he didn’t show it.  
Michael slowly retreated from James and looked at him.  
The other man had closed his eyes, hands on his knees ,still grabbing the pillow, and hadn’t moved an inch. Michael took that as an permission to approach to James’ right cheek and pressed his mouth against it, caressing the skin with his tongue and his lips.  
James’ cheek was wet, the chocolate gone and his eyes still closed as if he wanted to fade out everything else, or perhaps just enjoy the moment. Michael leaned a third time over James, this time, grabbing his neck with his hand and pressing his lips to James’ soft chin. There was still some chocolate left there.  
Just when Michaels lips touched the skin a loud rumbling could be heard, the turning of a key in the keyhole. 

Michael immediately withdrew from James.  
He leaned back, just when James’ wife entered the room, her son in one arm, a scarf in the other. She looked surprised, but not angry or taken aback. Michael didn’t know how much she had seen, nothing it seemed. They were just two good friends, enjoying the use of internet.  
James blushed, got up from the sofa and greeted his wife with a quick kiss on the cheek.  
“Wow, Michael. I didn’t know you were here.”  
What a silly thing to say, of course you didn’t know, he thought. James was still standing next to his wife, one hand on her back, as if saying “That’s where I truly belong”. Michael had gotten the hint.  
“Oh, it’s already quite late, I fear I must go. James, see you next weekend.” Damn the silliest of all excuses, why couldn’t he think of a good excuse for once? He nodded to Anne- Marie shortly, grabbed his jacket and escaped from the flat, leaving James to explain his wife what exactly he and Michael were going to do on the next weekend. 

*Back to our lovely story-teller grandpa and his young colleague. “Wow, things are getting pretty hot, eh?” young-guy tries to strike up a conversation. Grandpa is not amused. “In MY time fairy- tales were still ordinary with ordinary men and women in them!” He gets a death glare from the young guy.  
“Although I must say-“ grandpa starts and suddenly bursts out “THEY ARE SO INCREDIBLY CUTE TOGETHER, IF THEY DON’T BECOME A COUPLE I’LL DIE!” he falls down in his chair again, gasping and swallowing heart- aid pills. The young guy just gives him a knowing smirk and goes on reading…*

Michael turned his pillow over for the hundredth time this night. He wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway.  
Yeah, that was him, Michael Fassbender.  
Lying in his bed, trying to sleep and not being able to cope with the thought of James- just James. On one hand James hadn’t completely rejected him, he could have backed away, pulled Michaels hand away from him, but he had stayed in place. Had he liked it? Had he?  
On the other James was a married man, after all. Surely, a totally straight married man, who didn’t know how f*ckin adorable he was. But then again the way they looked at each other, their laughter and what they shared. Did James do those things with his wife? Laugh, play silly games, watch the children program? Anyway tomorrow would be the activity.  
They had gone through the program three times now, Michael knew it by heart. First him and James, going hand in hand to the fake altar with a fake priest behind it, who would say a few things about rights of homosexual people, then the standard kiss, then they would be claimed married and go away.  
Oh, no before they would open up their suits and show the shirts to everyone. The organizer had liked the shirt- idea a lot and so they would be wearing them.  
Michael didn’t know that on the other end of London another man was plaguing himself with similar thoughts. James was lying awake next to his wife, thinking about Michaels lips on his face. Why hadn’t he done anything against it? Because he didn’t want to resists Michael and his wonderful smell.  
His hands, so manly, rough, yet tender.  
Admit it, James. You wouldn’t have resisted if he kissed you, you would have appreciated it. You would have loved it. No, no, no. He was freaked out about the idea of kissing his best friend in front of many people and cameras. James got up and walked towards the bathroom. He felt incredibly tired and exhausted…how am I gonna survive tomorrow at this rate, he though.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender fight for gay rights  
! This and other bills were hanging all over the shopping center. Someone had decided to let the activity take place in an old and very large department store. Said men were currently standing behind a door from a backstage room, both nervous, although Michael tried to hide it by pretending to be entirely calm.  
He was leaning against the stage door, waiting for their names to be called out. James was standing a few meters away from him, face towards the floor. They both seemed in thought, although each of them was analyzing the others’ actions. Michael was the first one to break the silence. He couldn’t stand James being silent. James was always loud in his very own way, funny and smiling. Michael was approaching him but James didn’t look up  
“Do you want to talk about it?” Michael asked firmly.  
“There’s nothing to talk about, Michael.” James said trying to sound definite, but his voice was shaking.  
“I’m just nervous, that’s all.” Michael looked down at him.  
“Nervous of what? Of what others are going to think? Or of the kissing part?”  
James finally lifted his gaze.  
“Both.” Michael didn’t know what he was doing. His whole body began to act mechanically, his hands lifted and gripped James’ shoulders, pressing him with his back against the wall.  
“Maybe we just need a little practice?” he purred into James ear. The other mans’ shoulders twitched.  
“What are you up to, Michael?” James avoided his eyes again fixing his look on the floor. It drove Michael to put his hands under James’ chin and lifted his head a little bit towards his. James had closed his eyes again. Whatever might come or not come, James would accept it, with all its’ aftermath. Michaels head approached James, but the other man flinched and pressed his body into the wall.  
“No, Michael, no. I can’t do this. I can’t do this to my family.” He turned his head away from Michaels.  
“Please, James.” Michaels voice was low and raspy. “No, I’m sorry. I can’t.” Michaels hand grabbed James by his hair, hard, but not hurting him. He was stroking James’ cheek with the other hand. “James…you know how I feel about you. I just need you to answer me.” he whispered. James shivered. He had never felt this way towards another man. Never felt this prickling around anyone.  
This secure in Michaels strong arms. He stopped moving. Michaels hand grabbed his chin a second time and he pulled their heads together. Just when their lips were about to meet, they were disturbed by a fat guy, slamming the door open and barking:  
” It’s you turn in a few seconds, prepare yourselves!” Michael immediately pulled back from James. The moment had passed. Should he be relieved for not destroying his friends’ marriage? Should he be sad? There was no time for feelings, because their names were called out and they made their way towards the stage- hand in hand.


	3. Flashlights and Kisses

The department store was crowded with people that night, who were already cheering, before Michael and James had climbed the small stairs which led to an impromptu stage.  
The news of their “wedding” had spread soon and not only the inside of the building was crowded, but also its outside.   
Fans were standing everywhere around the building (it was made up of glass and they were probably hoping to catch a glimpse their favorite actors), keeping the cars from being able to park properly, keeping the policemen from being able to shout properly and keeping the mood from being able to sink properly.   
Inside the building there were various fans, too.  
Michael was still wondering how they had managed to pass the security.   
Most of them were female and holding signs in the air with patterns like “ McFassy forever” or “FassAvoy – a true love story”.   
It was interesting to see how many people actually agreed to the idea of them being together, Michael thought, very interesting.  
If THEY knew what had happened and not happened between him and James-   
A quick look over to James. His friend(?), lover(?), wannabe-lover(?) looked relaxed and happy on the first sight.   
Grinning into the flashing Cameras like this was the best day of his life. Michael knew James too well to recognize whether he was acting or not. He definitely was. He must be as confused as I am.

They were still holding hands.   
No one had told them to, but no one would get Michael to let go of James’ hand now.   
The crowd started cheering louder immediately, when the two men finally were on stage. The “priest” (Francis) was standing there, in front of a microphone holding a bible, looking as if he went over his text one last time.   
The one week before this evening James and Michael had put a lot of effort into learning which positions to take on stage.   
They had gone through the whole ceremony about three times.   
Nothing could go wrong, everything was prepared. The lights were flashing, bright and yellow.   
The crowd was cheering and shouting, waving their patterns.  
These were the moments Michael lived for since he had decided to choose an acting career. Cheering, screaming and jumping fans, shouting his name. Flashlights. Men trying to get a good shot of him and James holding hands.   
The man standing next to him, who looked far too pretty in his casual black suit and black trousers.   
James turned his head towards him, caught his look and forced himself to smile even brighter.   
Was it real or fake?  
No, it was real this time. The little wrinkles around his eyes, the warmth of his gaze.  
Michaels heart stopped beating for a moment, all his attention meeting in one certain spot of his body.  
At his hand. James had squeezed it tenderly.   
Michael couldn’t help it. He was happy. Incredibly happy. He’d love to see himself now, standing on stage, grinning like an idiot.   
In what had merely been a few seconds his mood changed from uncertainty and regret into happiness.   
And he knew one could probably destroy his relationship to James, but this memory would always be a part of him.   
He would never ever forget it. 

* Our dear fairy- tale Grandpa has been sobbing into his sleeve for the past 5 minutes. Young guy is looking up from the book, again, a knowing smirk on his lips.   
“So do you like the story after all?”   
Grandpa looks up, his eyes and nose are both red, yet he looks indignant.   
“Of course not, I would NEVER cry because of this –“  
he fumbles with his hands in the air, searching for words,   
“…this big pile of doo-doo!”  
Grandpa makes a determined- looking angry face. Young guy puts the book on his sleeve,  
“Fine if you don’t want to hear it anymore, I’ll go somewhere else!”   
He wants to grab the book and get up, but doesn’t even make it so far, because Grandpa is already lying before his feet, gripping his trousers and shouting dramatically:  
” Noooo, don’t leave me. You must at least leave the book here, I want to know how it’s going ooooon!”   
he realizes what he just said and puts a hand on his mouth, wide-eyed and surprised by his own words. The young guy just waves his hand and points towards the abandoned chair. Grandpa crawls as quickly as he can into it, sits down and listens to the young guy, going on….*

 

The last tones of the wedding march faded away.   
The two men were now standing in front each other and the priest.   
Still holding hands (Michael could have sworn that James’ grip had tightened) and looking at each other. When the crowd finally went silent, Francis started to talk.   
“This union represents 500 000 same- sex couples all over the country that want the right to marry, though they’re prohibited from doing so.”  
He looked up from his book at the now completely silent audience. Some rustling and coughing could be heard, nothing else.

Hell, how right he is, Michael thought. A quick look over to James.   
He was blushing, looking towards the floor. He would have given anything to read his thoughts.   
Michael was nervous, although this was not a real marriage, he was nervous.  
He could see that James was trying to look calm, either, but couldn’t hide his nervousness.  
After all, he hadn’t lost a word about how his wife had reacted to this…  
“Marriage is the commitment to love, honor , and cherish one another. It knows not race, social status, religion, sexual preference, nor origin. More important, marriage is connected to a stable and loving environment – this opportunity shall be given to all couples, gay or straight!”  
The audience was still silent, waiting tautly for more words.   
“Now, would be a good time to clap.” Francis suggested with a nervous little laughter. The audience laughed and clapped, some cheers could be heard from the outside, too.   
Francis silenced them all with a single clearing of his throat. 

“Now, to the bride-“ he turned towards James,” and groom.” he turned towards Michael, who laughed about the hilarious death- glare James was shooting in Francis’ direction.  
Francis caught it and corrected himself:” Sorry, to the groom and groom.” The people in the room cheered.  
“Do you stand here today as representatives for all those in same- sex relationships who wish to enter the holy marriage?”  
The audience was silent.  
Even outside the fans had gone silent, partly because most of them were hoarse from screaming, partly because they felt the tense mood inside the building. All eyes were on the two men standing on the podium.   
James was tenderly squeezing Michaels hand and ,like someone had given them a signal, they both leaned forward simultaneously and breathed into the microphone:” We do.” Michael tried to make his voice sound determined and sure of himself, proud.  
One look into James’ eyes and it would all fade away. All the anger and questions of the last week.   
Everything would seem unimportant compared to James’ ocean-eyes.  
The way he looked up at him. Michael couldn’t believe that this was actually happening.  
That this was reality.  
Him and James. If he was honest, it had been a dream for far too long.

He was almost brutally ripped out of his thoughts by the loud applause, which soon filled the room.   
A lot of whistles could be heard and somewhere someone was shouting. It barely touched Michael.   
All his senses were focused on his hand. Where his fingers touched James’.  
In a way he felt bad for longing after his friend so desperately and he knew that James would never return his feelings the same way as he did.   
But it didn’t matter. Michael also knew that he was acting like a twelve- year old. Not in proper control of himself, yet being abnormally sappy. 

“Do you stand here today as a symbol for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender people, who wish to love each other, comfort each other, honor and keep each other in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for good or for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cheri(k)sh one another as long as you both shall live?” 

James let his gaze travel from the floor to Michaels face. His friend looked tense, his face was strained and his mouth was one hard line. James leaned towards the microphone, pulling Michael immediately with him (they were still holding hands very tightly), their two voices sounding like one as they said:  
” We do!”  
“If any person can show just cause as to why they may not now be joined together, let him speak now or forever be silent.”   
At that moment several creepy- looking people, who were standing on a gallery and who neither of them had noticed until now, began to scream, shout and clap against their signs.   
They didn’t really seem to belong there and James couldn’t read what the signs said either, but he was sure, that it wasn’t something nice. Square homophobics, he thought. Michael was looking worried, but Francis in his open and friendly nature said:  
” I think we must unanimously agree, that they can forever hold their pieces.”   
The people laughed and clapped at him and he continued with the show.   
“May these rings”, he was holding up two imaginary air- rings,” be a symbol for united understanding and acceptance. And so by the power, that I don’t really have, not really invested in me by anyone, you’re now not technically married, but represent the fight for life, liberty and the pursuit of marriage equality, I wish now that the grooms will kiss, so that we may all watch!”

That was it, then.  
The moment which Michael had been longing for so long, yet was afraid of it to come.   
He faded out everything else. Just concentrated on the man standing before him. There might have been cheering, but Michael didn’t hear it.  
There might have been going on a battle around them, he wouldn’t have noticed.  
All he could concentrate on was to begin where he and James broke off on James’ couch.  
The other man was still standing there, breathing hard. Like an invitation for Michael to close the small distance between them.  
Just where we were last week, James, remember? He put one hand in a determined movement on James’ right shoulder, the other pulling his chin up. 

His friend was looking at him.   
There was something in his eyes.   
Guilt? Lust? Strange how much the two thing were connected to each other.  
They were slowly moving towards each other, finally Michael closing the last few centimeters between them, feeling James’ hot breath, deliciously come against his lips.   
Once their lips met, James whole body froze under him, only to relax a few moments later.  
Michael quickly captured his lips again and again, (nothing could bring him to stop kissing these wonderful, soft lips), moving his own mouth in a slow rhythm on the other mans’.   
James knew this was going to be trouble. They had been told they were supposed to make it last at least 5 seconds. This was definitely longer than five seconds and people would not be pleased about it. To hell with the peoples opinion, James.   
This is about you and Michael.  
It is between you and Michael and whether this leads to something that you’ll regret or not, you will definitely not brake this kiss.   
Once Michael let his tongue run over James’ bottom lip, the other man opened his mouth desirously and let Michael in.  
It was different kissing a man, very different from kissing a woman. Michael was rough and wild and James was surprised how much he liked it. His hands started moving seemingly at their own will, grabbing into Michaels hair and pressing their bodies together tightly. 

Loud screams and cheers coming from far away, brought James back into reality. He and Michael let go off each other at the same time, both taking a step back. Michaels hair was a mess from James’ hand sliding into it.  
They looked both flushed and hot and were out of breath for a few moments. Francis was staring awkwardly at them. There were few people actually still standing on their feet, for most of the fangirls had either fainted or drowned in a pool of nosebleed.   
Those who were still standing, were gasping, their eyes wide open in shock and their legs shaking. All of them started to cheer, clap and whistle at the same time. The great room was filled with laughter and happiness .  
There had been few times when James felt this relieved in his life, or perhaps even no time.   
Not when Anne- Marie had said “Yes” to his proposal, not when his child had been born. Michael was grinning in his typical shark- style and it caused a weird feeling in James’ stomach, seeing him happy like this.   
They exchanged a long look and both opened their suits at the same time, revealing the shirts beneath them. Michael was wearing a black shirt with white print on it saying “Heterosexuality was never an option”. James was wearing a white shirt with black print on it which said “Stay classy- ship McFassy”.  
Once the people were able to look at their shirts and see what was on the, most of the remaining girls and women fainted, so that only a few men were still remaining in place, taking pictures.  
Some day I’ll go blind because of all those flashlights, James thought irritated.   
Now that our reputation is ruined, why not carry it to excess at little more, Michael thought.   
He grabbed the microphone and started talking. He hadn’t prepared a speech or anything, but the words seemed to come naturally out of him. 

“Thank you all very much for your support, we wouldn’t have done it without you, you lovely people. Thanks to Francis for being so brave to ask us, thanks to the staff and-“ he turned around and looked directly into James’ eyes ,”thanks to James for being himself this evening.”

No one of the cheering audience under them was able to hear James’ gasping. But what they could see was that he was smiling happily up at Michael, color rising in his cheeks.   
“Yeah thanks to all our fans, you were great this evening. We couldn’t have made this without you”, he was interrupted by three of the girls, that were still standing who were shouting:  
” Ahhhh, James we love youuuu.”  
James let out a nervous laughter:” Hi there, I like you, too. Also a great thanks from me to the organizers of this project, I think you did a fantastic job. And last but not least…thanks to Michael.”   
He was blushing even harder and Michael couldn’t resist anymore.   
He grabbed James a second time, pulled him to his body and brought their lips together.   
This action said so much more than a thousand words he could have used.  
It said, I like you a lot more than I should and I want you to be with me.  
And James’ response, his mouth opening slowly but determined, said: Yes, I know and for the moment I want you too, Michael. 

The second kiss lasted shorter than the first one, but Michael could feel all of James being pressed against him and that was all that really mattered.  
He didn’t want to think about tomorrow or the next week, what James’ wife would say, whether James wanted him or not. For the moment it was all fine. 

They parted, James’ breath was going hard and fast again and somehow they managed to say another “Thank you” into the microphone and stumbled from the podium. In fact, stumbling was the right expression, because James actually stumbled on the stairs and would have fallen, if Michaels hand hadn’t caught him in the last moment.   
But force of James’ fall sent them both off to the floor, where (of course) Michael landed on top of him.   
Francis came down the stairs seconds after them and found Michael lying on top of James, both shaking with laughter. He just shook his head and said to James:   
”Just make sure, you won’t get pregnant.”  
And with a twinkle of his eye, he left. They burst out into laughter a second time.

On some occasions that James and Michael had visited together, there had been after show parties, but due to the fact that this hadn’t been a show, the actors were left to spend the evening on their own.   
Right now they both sat in Michaels’ car, while driving home, Michael having opened a bottle of champagne and drinking from it.   
Yes, he was going to get drunk this night, but more important- James should be even more drunk than him.  
The mood was light and happy and he didn’t want to ruin anything by making his move on James too early, but if James gave him a sign that he wanted it too, Michael would be happy to follow.   
They were going to Michaels’ place, a nice apartment, which he had moved in years ago and didn’t want to leave, although there were various nice houses available for him. James had been here with him some time ago, they had been playing cards and watching films- a typical men-evening.   
As soon as they entered the living room, James dropped himself on the couch. “Let’s get drunk, Michael.” And so they did.   
James was already a little bit tipsy after the first bottle of champagne. He laughed at everything Michael said, whether it was funny or not and insisted on listening to some of Michaels favorite songs. 

So Michael went to the put his Ipod into the docking station and soon “California Dreaming” filled the room.  
“That’s a beautiful song.” James shouted from the sofa, his speech slightly slurred.  
The other man chuckled.   
“You’ve probably had enough champagne for tonight.” He said and wanted to grab the bottle out of James’ hands.  
James held on to it and pulled it to his chest, with a very childish voice he said:  
” Noo, that’s mine!”   
This made his friend laugh even harder.   
“You know, California Dreaming has been one of my favorite songs, even before filming “Fish Tank” ?” Michael asked.   
James took another sip from the bottle and said:” No, but it’s an amazing song. It fits you.”   
“You think so?” Michael was approaching the sofa, where James was still sitting on.   
“Yeah, I think- oh now it has changed.”   
The Ipod had started playing another song. James didn’t know it, but it sounded beautiful.   
Michael wanted to head towards his Ipod, to stop it, but James caught his hand and pulled himself up from the sofa at the same time. Michael froze immediately. Again, James fingers touching his. His breath on his neck.   
“I like this song, don’t stop it. What’s it called?”   
“I think it’s called a twist in my story.” Michael said slowly, turning around to James.   
They were standing directly in front of each other... again.  
“It’s about a man falling in love and how it affects his life.” Michaels gaze was intense, burning into James eyes. James looked towards the floor, blushing.   
“James”, Michael said slowly and so passionate that the other man got goose flesh all over his body. James lifted his gaze and Michael put one hand under his chin and brought their lips together.   
Finally alone, finally holding James in his arms. The other man was pressing against him, eager for more.   
“James”, Michael exhaled between to passionate kisses.   
James couldn’t describe how bad and good he felt at the same time. Bad because of thoughts of his wife and son ghosting around in his head, good because Michaels skillful hands were making quick work of his suit jacket and sliding over his back, stroking his hair.  
With a quick movement James broke the kiss and made a step back. He looked to the floor.   
“Michael, this is wrong.” He shook his head. “This is so wrong, we can’t do this.”   
Michael had expected this.   
“Oh hell, yes we can. You know you want it as much as I do.”,  
“Yeah, but that’s not the point, Michael. The point is that I’m married.”   
Michael stepped towards him.   
“Look me I the eyes and tell me that you don’t want this and you have never played with the thought of the two of us together.” James remained silent and in place at first, then he looked up.   
“I don’t want this.”  
His voice was incredibly stern and Michael would have believed him, had he not noticed his eyes watering.   
“You’re lying.” James turned his head towards the floor and remained silent once more. Michael grabbed his head forcefully and turned his face towards him.   
“James”, he exhaled in a low, breathy voice.   
To hell with it all, James thought. To hell with everything and anyone. Tonight the world didn’t matter to him. Tonight only Michael mattered. He didn’t move away when Michael kissed him a second time, more coarse than ever. He enjoyed it anyway.   
Michael pulled James closer to him, deepening the kiss and sending shivers of arousal through James’ body. He pressed the smaller man against the wall. This felt good. Michaels’ hands were now all over his body and James grabbed with one hand into Michaels hair, with the other he traveled slowly over Michaels shoulders.   
“I’ve wanted this for so long.” Michaels’ breathy, sexy voice said into his ear.  
He started nibbling along his neck, sucking at the soft skin a leaving small, red mark there.   
“Hnnn” James let out a small moan and Michael slowly licked at the same spot on his neck, driving James to gasp into his ear.   
Soon Michaels’ hands were under his shirt, too. Stroking his soft skin and traveling over his nipple, pinching it. “  
Michael”, James exhaled, making a surprised sound.   
“Now don’t tell me you didn’t want this, too.” The other man whispered into his ear.   
“I’ve…I’ve wanted this.” James finally said, sounding defeated. Michael grinned.   
“Good answer…husband”, and with that he carried James bridal- style into his bedroom.


	4. The morning after

James was awakened by a throbbing feeling in his ass the next morning.  
It was still a very pleasant awakening, being wrapped into Michaels’ gentle arms.  
The other man was already awake and looked like he had been for quite a while now.  
James ran a hand through his hair, which Michael found incredibly adorable.  
“How long have I been sleeping?”,  
“Oh, don’t worry. It’s only 1 pm.”  
“We’ve been sleeping for twelve hours, oh god.”  
He grabbed his head and tried to shift in his position, but the pain in his lower body kept him from moving. He groaned loudly and clenched his teeth.  
“You’re in pain.” It wasn’t a question.  
James let his head sink against Michaels’ chest.  
“Yeah, my ass hurts and I’m sleepy.” He complained  
Michael let out a low chuckle.  
“I thought so.” He leaned over and kissed his friend. “Fancy a bath?”  
“Yes, please.” James sighed in relief and looked at Michael thankfully.  
“Here we go.” Michael got up and waited for James to follow him into the bathroom, but the other man didn’t move, his face wreathing in pain.  
Michael quickly went back to the bed, put his strong arms under James smaller body and lifted him up. He then carried him towards the bathroom and put him down on the edge of the bathtub.  
Soon hot water filled the tub and Michael added a few extra relaxing-lotions, which smelled incredibly good, to make James feel most comfortable. They were both still naked and Michael eased himself into the water, before helping James to climb on top of him.  
The lotion Michael had added smelled like coconut and the hot water, together with Michael gently massaging his back, made James feel like he was in haven and he almost forgot the pain.  
Michael kissed and nuzzled his neck gently, then grabbed a piece of soap and started to wash off James fondly. He began with his back and made his way down until he reached James’ lower body. He gently rubbed one finger against the sore flesh of his anus eliciting a small gasp from the other man.  
“Does it feel alright?” Michael asked.  
James just nodded, too lost in memories of the previous night. Michael pulled some water over his head and kissed every single bruise he caused during the sex. He told him to stay in the helping hot water a little longer and got up, getting out of the tub, grabbing a towel and starting to dry his shoulder and legs.  
James leaned back, thoughts about his family entirely pushed to the back of his mind as he enjoyed the moment remembering Michaels hands on his skin.  
He knew the guilt was there, beneath a strange feeling that James hadn't felt in a long time. It brought a grin to his face and a flutter in his heart.  
James wondered whether it might be love.

 

Michael was in the kitchen making breakfast or rather lunch, since it was 2 pm.  
James had just gone out of the bathtub, it had really helped him, the dull pain was merely a little ache in his lower body. Michael had given him some clothes of his; of course, all of them were a little too wide. He was an incredibly tall man. James had just pulled a white shirt over his head, as he heard the familiar ringtone of his mobile. Shit! Anne- Marie. He had forgotten to tell her where he had gone! She must have called him at least 20 times. He searched for his phone, found it in his trousers and opened it. "Hello, Anne-Marie?"  
He heard the worried voice of his wife.  
"James, James is that you? Are you alright?"  
"Yes, I'm fine, Anne. No need to worry."  
Now that her first shock had been calmed, she would get angry with him for not calling her…  
"James McAvoy!" and here we go, he thought.  
"I thought I had married a grown man- why didn't you call me?"  
"I'm sorry, dear. I simply forgot, you see, I was too drunk to drive so I stayed at a hotel…"  
"Yeah, but you could have told me…I was worried, you know." Her voice sounded soft now and James felt terrible for lying to her. But he couldn't help it. He wouldn't decide between the two of them, not yet at least. He knew that there would be some time when he would have to, but not now. His day had been far too perfect to deal with such thoughts.  
"Look, darling I've had a terrible hangover all morning and have to meet Michael. We have been planning this for weeks; I can't just call and tell him that I can't come. Now that X-Men is finished we rarely have that much time to see each other anymore." He didn't need to go any further. His wife was very understanding. "It's fine as long as you make it home tonight." She said and James could almost see her through the phone, a sad smile on her face. "I'm really sorry."  
"Breakfast, McAvoy!" Michael called from the kitchen.  
"I need to hang up, darling. We'll talk this evening, ok?"  
"James." his wife's voice sounded distressing. "I don't want us to be one of those couples who only see each other every other weekend, ok? Make sure your career isn't all you start care about."  
He was going to say 'This isn't about my career.' but then he decided differently.  
"Yeah, sure; we'll see each other this evening, ok?"  
"Ok. James, I love you, darling."  
There was a short pause, which James had previously wanted to avoid. Then he said slowly and very low:" Yeah, I love you too." He hung up and sank on Michaels' bed, staring straight forward into the pale afternoon light filtering from the window. His eyes weren't particularly fixed on anything. He was no saint, that was for sure, but he had always had certain values throughout all his relationships with women. One of them was being honest. He had just lied to his wife. "I love you, too." The words were echoing in his head. Had he meant them? Had he truly meant them? He sighed deeply, when the voice of a certain Irishman ripped him from his daydreams.  
"You know you'll have to decide sometime."  
James didn't even look up. "Yeah, I know."  
He could hear Michael approaching and sitting down next to him. James looked up at him and buried his face in the others mans' shirt. He cuddled into Michaels' warm chest, inhaling his smell deeply. James was glad to have him;  
Michael being the only person in the world with whom he didn't need to speak words to.  
They understood each other. There was no other place in the world where he felt more secure in. Michael put one arm around him and held him and so that they sat there, on the bed. James had forgotten what time felt like. To him it had been seconds, but it might also have been minutes.  
Their lips met in a long and passionate kiss, before James tried to wash all the depressing thoughts away at once.  
"I have to be with my wife this evening, but we can spend the whole rest of the day together."  
He got up and pulled Michael up with him. "Come on, time to eat something and then we can do lots of fun things today."  
He smiled widely at his friend.  
The breakfast was awesome and so was the news on the third page of the daily paper.  
"McFassy Unite on Gay Rights Activity" and under that headline there was the picture of he and Michael, kissing passionately;  
clearly the both of them seemed to be forgetting everything around them, so it would seem. They looked pretty good together.  
Michaels' tall frame and his own were leaning into the kiss ever so deeply. Yeah, they were a cute couple.  
They smiled at each other, before getting up to decide what to do all day.

Michael and James had a long discussion, but by the end they had decided to go to the cinema. They quickly agreed on a film, got up and about to leave, when Michael pulled James towards him.  
He took James hand and slowly caressed it, a warm smile playing on his lips.  
Then his fingers wandered to James' sleeve, which was far too long, because it was Michael's shirt after all. Michael's face turned into a grin as he slowly pulled the sleeve back, so that it wouldn't cover James' hands at least. He did the same with the other sleeve.  
James didn't know why he was still blushing at Michaels touch. The tension between them hadn't worn off because of the sex, in fact, it had only intensified.  
Even small touches still made James shiver and the look Michael was giving him indicated that he felt the same way.  
The sweet moment was interrupted by the loud ringing of James' mobile, breaking the silence of the hallway with its annoying ringtone. James sighed as he pulled it out of his pocket, frowning at the loss of Michael's hands on his arms. It was his wife… again.  
"You're lucky, James." She greeted him, still sounding pissed off.  
"You can even spend the evening with your beloved Michael." he didn't need to be a judge of character to recognize the sarcasm in her voice.  
Had she found out? Or was she just still annoyed, because James had spent his entire weekend with Michael, rather than with her.  
He tried to make his voice sound as apologetic as possible. "I told you earlier, I'm sorry." he heard a short snuffling before his wife answered, her voice sounding way softer.  
"No, I'm sorry. I've overreacted, it's just that we haven't seen each other for so long and all the gossip about you and Michael is driving me really mad. Anyway, about this evening, we have been invited to a prom and all the cast of X-Men First Class will attend, so Michael will be there, too."  
James looked up at Michael and cocked an eyebrow. A prom?  
"What sort of prom?" he asked.  
"Oh, I think it's one of those food and drink events that always turn into drink and dance, but I thought I should remind you of it."  
"Thanks. God, I completely forgot about it." James rubbed over his face with one hand. "That means I have to go home and get my suit." He stated more towards Michael than into the mobile.  
"Right." The other man responded and his head sank down.  
He could have spent a whole day with James. He didn't like the thought of sharing him with his wife in the evening. He wanted all of James to himself. He was aware of his possessiveness and how wrong it was. 

"I'll see you then." James said to his wife, suddenly sounding incredibly tired.  
The light mood was gone when he hung up. There was an awkward silence and James decided it was best to leave.  
"I'll better be off then." He walked towards the stairs fast, without looking back at Michael, head directed towards the floor.  
He knew looking into his wife's eyes would get harder with every moment that passed with Michael. Every second they shared. It would make the lying easier if he didn't-  
"Haven't you forgotten something?" a provocative low voice behind him asked. Michael wrapped his arms around James from behind, stopped him from leaving. The smaller man immediately froze on the stairs. Michael's touch would always get that reaction from him, always. His lips were inches away from his ear. James turned around, now ending up pressed against Michael tall body once more. "Not saying 'good bye' properly- that's very mean of you, James." He just had to grin at the silly face Michael pulled. For some reason he always managed to ease the mood with the simplest of gestures.  
James felt silly for being so emotional. It wasn't exactly masculine.  
"Don't ever think of leaving me looking so sad, James. I want to see a smile on your face every day, because if you smile, I smile too." simple words, sounding overused and sappy, but James knew Michael meant them and he wanted to show him that he felt the same way. He leaned towards Michael and kissed him. It wasn't a long kiss, but a heated one. James clenched onto Michael tightly and felt like never wanting to let go of him. Then he broke the kiss with a smile. "I'll see you tonight." he whispered, turned around and left Michael standing at the top of the stairs.  
Michael still stared at the spot where James had stood moments ago, shaking his head. This man drove him mad.

*Seems like we haven't taken a look at our dear old man for quite some time…let's see what he's up t-  
"Oh my gooooooooood. Oh my gooood. This is- I can't even waaahhhhhh."  
Ok, it seems like he's still very much alive currently jumping up and down on his armchair.  
They young man who just gave him curious side glances before, is now looking at him with a look on his face that says clearly: Have you lost your mind?  
But grandpa doesn't notice it. He's too absorbed in shouting through the living room how much he loves McFassy.  
Young man can't help but tease:  
"So, you like the story after all?"  
Grandpa freezes in his movement and turns around to him. First he looks like caught off guard, then lets his head drop in defeat. "It's not so bad after all…"  
Young man cocks an eyebrow and points at grandpa, who's still standing on the old armchair. "Not so bad?"  
"Damn, it's a beautiful story and I want them to stay together? Is that enough for you?" he asked fiercely.  
Young man just smiles enigmatically and turns back towards the book…..*

 

James felt tired once he made it home. He didn't feel like confronting with his wife right on the spot. It was silent as he entered his flat, so his first thought was that Anne- Marie might be out buying something, but then he heard her voice from Brendan's' room. He walked to the half- open door and stole a glance past it into the room. His wife was kneeing in front of the crib, where Brendan was sleeping in. James could see his foot sticking out of it; he wore the yellow Bananas and Monkeys pajamas that he had found so adorable (he had immediately bought the same one for himself in his size).  
Anne- Marie looked up from her son, a piercing look in her eyes. She got up, walked past him and closed the door gently behind herself. Damn, he thought. Just the thought of lying to her had spoiled his last seconds with Michael. Did he still smell like him? And how should he explain Michael's shirt? He knew some people lied to their partners and friends on a daily basis, but not him. James was an incredibly honest man, he had been since his childhood and he had sworn to be a good husband. Damn Michael, damn him!

But his wife didn't say anything, simply examined him with that look in her eyes. James didn't like that look at all. Right now, she looked very thin and worn- out and he felt like hugging her, but something held him back. They stood there in front of Brendan's room without words, until James broke the awkward silence and afforded to say the most intelligent thing he could think of. "Hi."  
His voice sounded as if he hadn't used it a long time. His wife simply carried on looking at him as if she was searching for something. Her eyes met his and for a brief moment James thought she was going to say something, but she didn't. She opened her mouth, closed it and just patted him on the shoulder. "Time to get dressed for tonight." She said as she strode past him. 

The hall was packed with people. Everything seemed to glow golden and began to fulfill the cliché of having a ball in a great hall with mirrors and old- fashioned furniture, there was a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. James though, was impressed. There were a lot of things James loved about his job and a few ones he hated, including Paparazzi, but this was definitely worth every headline.  
The tables they were supposed to sit at stood by a nearby the wall, leaving a huge space in the middle of the room for dancing. James immediately recognized the smiling faces of his co-stars. There they were, luckily seated at the same table as him and his wife. Kevin was there with his wife and Jennifer, Rose, Lucas and January, too. No Michael? Had he changed his mind?  
James forced a smile and pushed past the laughing, chattering people to get to them. He was greeted with warm smiles and hugs by everyone, Anne- Marie even.

She had been unusually silent all day, but that was something to worry about later. Tonight was about enjoying himself, having a good laugh with his friends.  
After sitting down and doing the traditional how-are-you-doing – small talk, James had lost all hope on seeing Michael that evening. He was about to order some wine for he and his wife when he recognized a hand waving at him, a figure pushing through the people towards their table. Two figures, hand in hand. The first one had an unusually large shark-style grin on his face, revealing far too many teeth; the other was small and skinny – Zoe and Michael.  
A shock went through James followed by a weird feeling in his stomach. He hated that feeling, since when had he last felt it – high school? He wanted to jump over the table and do some very inappropriate things to Michael's entourage. Was that how Michael felt whenever he saw him with Anne- Marie?  
He just flashed a grin and got up to hug his friend who was now shaking hands with the other members of the cast. The hug lasted a little bit longer than it should have, but James made sure to pat the other man on the back to keep it appropriate. He was about to let go when Michael leaned forward and whispered fast into his ear: "I've missed you, my little Mortimer."  
James body froze and when he pulled back Michael flashed his incredible grin at him. James couldn't help but smile back. Yet, there were so many questions exploding in his head. Why on earth did Zoe and Michael have to arrive together? Why did they hold hands? Probably just for provoking him? Was that some kind of plan to make him jealous?  
The thoughts ruined his mood and although people were laughing and drinking around him he never felt like a part of a conversation after that; his thoughts were drifting off.

Why was James so different? Michael knew him; he knew how he usually behaved in public, when he was with a large group of people. James knew how to be the center of attention, always, but without violently grabbing it. His funny, charming ways just attracted people; his eyes shone when he was talking about something interesting and he pulled a thousand funny and cute faces while doing so.  
Today it was different. James was silent, his face calm, eyes empty. He looked like he was far away and even reacted minimal on the comforting strokes of his wife's hand across his back.  
Michael couldn't endure him looking so …sad, empty, thoughtful?  
He decided to change it, but how?  
"Are you feeling alright?" Zoe asked, leaning far too much into his personal space. He nodded quickly, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine." His look wandered across the impressive room, chattering people, tables with food and drink…and the dancers. Why the hell not? James looked just like he wanted to get up so Michael got up before him and stood in front of his seat a large hand pointed at James. Making an exaggerated bow he proposed: "Would the fair Lord McAvoy fancy a dance?"  
James looked too puzzled to answer, besides being red all over his face. "I…-I don't even know how to-"  
"James, James, James!" the others started cheering. Anne- Marie gave him a push on the back. "Come on, time for some entertainment. I want to see my husband making a fool out of himself!" she laughed and the others followed her. They didn't take the situation seriously. James and Michael were the only ones that knew what it truly meant for them as James got up, brushed some hair out of his face and followed Michael on the dance floor. Or weren't they? Zoe was the only one not laughing, while Anne- Marie looked still rather bemused. 

As soon as they entered the dance floor Michael pulled James towards his chest. "You know how to dance, right?"  
"Had a couple of lessons some time ago for my marriage. This is gonna look really bad Michael, none of us knows how to dance the woman's steps."  
"That's true, but I'm the better leader."  
"Wait, does that make me the woman?" James pulled one of his faces.  
Michael grinned and it sent shivers down James' body. „Yes, I suppose it does."

A new song was playing, but James didn't know it; maybe he had heard it on the radio a couple of times and never paid attention to it. It was rather slow, with a woman was singing.  
With the first few tones Michael grabbed him tightly, pulled him towards his chest and made him forget everything around them. "Te amo, te amo…" James was swirled across the room. He clung towards Michael's broad chest. His arms were wrapped around him comfortably. The safest place in the world…and the one that smelled best! The scent of Michael's perfume was all around him, invading his senses causing him to go a little mad. 

Back at the X-Men table…the cast of the film didn't look as amused as they had before. Neither were their friends, colleagues, lovers making fools out of themselves, nor did they look like they'd ever return. Neither one of them wanted to let go as they were tightly pressed against one another. And as if that wasn't enough to contribute to the tension already, they had their eyes locked all the time, their heads mere inches away from each other. They looked cute, too cute for ' taste. She was a very nice person and not often jealous, but, like all women, she didn't like sharing and neither did Anne- Marie. To the other cast members it might still seem innocent, but Anne knew her husband, saw the way he looked up into his friend's eyes. 

Back on the dance floor: "Don't it mean I love you?" the song went on. James looked up at him slowly licking over his lips and that was when Michael lost it. He stopped caring about the people around them, couples who had stopped dancing to watch them. His hands rested on James hips and he let them glide down over his body from his shoulders to the curve of his back. James shivered and Michael pulled him around brought their bodies together again. The whole dance consisted of pushing his partner away and at the same time pulling him towards him. And damn, where did this come from? Had he ever seen James sway his hips like that?

Michael had set something free in him. Something in his chest that had wanted to be released since the other man had entered the hall. He wanted to appear as seductive to Michael as he was appearing to him. He remembered a music video he had seen on MTV and the next time Michael pulled him towards him and brought their bodies together, so that James was standing with his back towards Michael's hips and chest, he slid down on his knees. He made sure to rub the curve of his ass just as much against Michael's hips to tease him. To feel their bodies pressed firmly together for one single moment, and then he rose from his feet and turned around just to be swirled across the room once more. It was scary how much he enjoyed dancing around him, giving Michael hot, fierce looks and dirty (at least he hoped it may look dirty) smiles. 

A part of the little audience still sitting on the table, mouths wide open and gasping, were starting to applaud at this. Anne decided to suppress all other thoughts and came to the conclusion that James' behavior may be a weird reaction towards the alcohol. He always got drunk so easily. And once she had convinced the reasonable part of her brain, the unreasonable was silenced soon and she could join the laughing and applauding again. 

The three minutes that the song lasted felt like thirty to James. He was exhausted, sweaty and flushed and Michael didn't look any better. Before they let go of each other Michael took the chance and leaned forward to whisper into James' ear:" Thank you for the dance…Mortimer."  
"I'm entirely satisfied, Randolph." The laughed and James head felt heavy so it landed on Michael's shoulder, accidentally of course.  
They were greeted with a mixture of hysterical laughter and odd looks and Zoe couldn't help but stating: "Wow…that was hot. Next time you should get a room."  
But James was happy enough to just ignore it. Michael grinned: "I suppose we should all get drunk." And so they did.  
Anne was right about her statement that James couldn't handle small amounts of alcohol, not to mention, large amounts. He looked like a sick puppy and Anne decided to bring him home, because he could hardly stand on his own two legs anymore. They managed about ten meters when James stumbled and nearly fell onto a table. Michael was at his side immediately, waved goodbye to the others and left a really puzzled Zoe behind. He helped Anne- Marie carry James towards the car, but neither of them was sober enough to drive, so they had called a taxi.  
Fortunately James didn't throw up inside the car. But he looked pale and his head sank on Michael's shoulder. Anne just threw a look at them, grinned and turned her head towards the window again. Michael was relieved that she didn't say anything and suddenly he felt nervous.  
He managed to get James up the stairs of his house carrying him bridal- style while Anne- Marie was paying the driver. Michael shoved James through the door and into the bedroom. But before he could push the half- conscious James onto his bed, the other man seemed to gain back a little bit of soberness and stumbled into Michael whispering the words:" Take me, take me now Michael. Here on the floor." into his ear. His gaze was unfocused and he looked like a puppy. The urge to take him in his arms and just hold him or do some very inappropriate things to his body seemed almost overpowering.  
Michael didn't know how he managed to push James away from him. He heard the footsteps of Anne- Marie on the stairs. James smiled drunkenly and leaned towards him once more. "Michael, you know I love…you." He said and then his eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out and fell on the bed a low snoring could be heard.  
Michael sighed with relief, just then James' wife entered. She saw her husband on the bed and shook her head. 

Anne-Marie insisted on accompanying Michael to the door. He was about to leave but she held him back. Surprised by the sudden sadness in her eyes he turned around. She opened her mouth, obviously searching for the right words and finding them.  
"Michael, I always knew that…that you and James were pretty close…" she started, then broke off to look on the floor. It seemed easier to speak towards the floor than looking him in the eyes. Her voice seemed to crack while speaking. Oh no, he thought. Please don't talk about it now. Don't ask me whether James and I have an affair, please don't.  
"After tonight I know that you are a little more than that."  
He knew it. He wanted to say something against it but he couldn't.  
"You see, Michael, it's hard for James to have good friends because of his job. It's hard to keep in touch with the people, but I've never seen him get along so well with anyone really and...I think you're his best friend and I know it's not fair of me to ask you that but…does James cheat on me?"  
Michael was flabbergasted. He had thought she would ask him whether he had an affair with James, instead she thought of James cheating on her with some random woman.  
He shook his head in denial and tried to make his voice sound as intense as possible. "No, Anne- Marie. Look at me, NO. James would never do something like that to you. Do you know how often he speaks of you and how much he misses you? He never even looks at other women." Technically he wasn't even lying. James HAD never looked at other women. The last time he had checked, he hadn't been a woman, so where was the problem?  
She finally looked up, a small smile on her lips tears in the corner of her eyes. She looked relieved and Michael tried a comforting smile. "Is everything ok between James and you?" dissembler- he thought. You are such a ** dissembler. Suddenly guilt kicked in seeing her look so distressed and sad. Keep the illusion up, Michael. That's what it's about; keeping up the illusion of knowing what was right and what wasn't.  
"He has been acting weird in the last few days…he avoids my eyes, rarely talks to me and I thought he might use you as an excuse to spend time with a woman and you were covering him…god, I think I'm just overreacting, sorry that I bothered you…good night Michael." She forced a small smile.  
"No Anne, I want you to know that James loves you." It hurt saying so but he knew it was the truth. James loved them both; the question was whom did he loved more? The smile went broader and she nodded. "Ok, I'm sorry again." She sounded exhausted but happy.  
"Good night, Anne." He turned away and wanted to flee into the night.  
Just before the door was closed he heard her light voice:" Good night…and thanks Michael."


	5. Chapter 5

Michael woke up to a terrible headache and the ringing of his mobile. He'd fallen asleep in his clothes and hadn't even managed to get to the bed; he was lying on the sofa instead. He fumbled with the silly, vibrating, nerve-racking loud thing out of his pocket and sat up while running a hand over his face.  
Of course it was James. A sleepy smile spread across Michael's face at the sound of James' Scottish accent.  
"Michael, Michael?" his voice sounded alarmed, what happened?  
"Jamesie, good to hear from you. What happened, you sound like you had just discovered that you were pregnant or something?" he said with a little chuckle.  
"Worse, I can't remember a thing from last night, did I do anything inappropriate?"  
Michael grinned. Now was a great time to tease James, he decided. "Oh, not at all, you were quite fun actually. You only grabbed my ass twice when your wife looked, checked out Kevin and harassed the bartender, but for the rest of the evening you behaved like a nice little Scotsman."  
To his amusement he could hear James inhale audibly. "No seriously!"  
"Okay, okay, maybe you only grabbed my ass once or so."  
"Michael! This doesn't make the situation any better!" James griped.  
He was so naive, tended to believe everything Michael told him; what an adorable characteristic.  
James sounded desperate. "Now, what am I going to do?"  
It wasn't until Michael burst out into laughter that he suspected something being wrong. "Michael?"  
Michael tried to sound as innocent as possible. "Yeah, Jamesie?"  
"You made that up, didn't you?"  
Michael laughed out loud now. "Yeees and you believed it hahaha!"  
"Michael!" he could hear the growing rage in James' voice. It was about time to calm his Scottie down and make sure he wouldn't explode.  
"To be honest, you just behaved like the typical drunk guy. I brought you home, Anne was paying the driver while I was getting you into your room and…"

"…and?"

Michael's voice sounded unusually hoarse and tense. "You said you loved me." 

"Shit."

For some reason Michael felt like he should have been talking with a serious tone right now. "You didn't mean it, did you?"  
There was a long awkward silence on the other end; he could hear James voice, low and soft.  
"What makes you think that?"  
Michael hesitated. "'Dunno, maybe because you're married and you've got a fucking son."  
This time the silence was even longer he could then he could hear low, suppressed sob through the phone. 

Shit!

"James, look I didn't mean to get loud, I just wanted to-"  
James was audibly choking back tears while answering:" I know, it's ok. I think I just realized what a selfish little bastard I am."  
"James if you really meant what you said yesterday, then you can't be selfish. Nothing done out of love is selfish." Yeah, he himself knew how ridiculous and instructive it sounded, but if it helped James to feel better…  
"Thanks. Look, Michael…I know I have to decide, but I can't, not now. Can you give me some time, could you do that for me?"  
Seemed like a legitimate offer to Michael. "Sure." He tried to put as much warmth and love in his voice as possible.  
James sniffed on the other end. "This is definitely the worst hangover- morning I've ever had." he added with a little laughter. "I feel really manly right now, you know, sitting on the toilet seat, crying at 10 in the morning." No matter how bad James felt, his humor would never leave him.  
Michael laughed out loud and the tense mood was wiped away.  
"Just for the record: I like your crying, James, and you're always manly even when you're lying under me moaning like a little school girl." He grinned mischievously and heard James laugh.  
"School girl?? Oi, who dressed up in drag for X-Men, eh? Dragneto."  
They chatted some more about the last night until James had to hang up because his wife wanted to take a shower. Michael didn't tell him about the little conversation he had had with her, because he'd only get all sad and thoughtful again and he didn't want him to be sad.  
It was 11:30 and they had talked about one and a half hour. It was the longest conversation Michael had managed on the phone since…5 years probably?

 

The next few weeks went by fast and rather smoothly. No horrible hangovers, no marriage- issues and a lot of fun with James. Michael discovered that he did not only like hanging out with James inside, where they were safe from Paparazzi, he also felt comfortable spending the little time they had in parks or cinemas. Luckily no one recognized them. Michael didn't like hiding his relationship. He wanted to show everyone how much he loved- yeah he was sure that it was love- James. That he belonged to him. He wanted to put his arm around him when they were sitting on a bench in the park, like an old couple. But he never told James.  
As for the sex…James and Michael couldn't see each other very often and they spend most of their time talking, which made sex even more exquisite and valuable to Michael. He was used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it. James was playful, always in the mood to try something new, but sometimes refusing if he had had a long day. And Michael was fine with it. He worshipped his time with James so much that he sometimes spent half of the week thinking about one hour they had spent together and already looking forward to the next.  
Of course people started noticing the changes. His gaze drifting off, a miraculous smile on his lips here and there but nobody said anything.  
Sometimes they dared to have sleep-overs in James' flat, when his wife was out, so that he could look after his son. Michael had gotten pretty fond of the little man in his monkey and bananas pajamas, especially when he realized that James owned the same one in his size. 

There was one time, when they had nearly been caught.  
Michael had slept at James' place, because his wife was visiting her parents with her son once again. Bad for her, good for Michael, who had gotten James undressed and thrown him on the old sofa, before the other man even had the chance to say 'hello'. They spent their night with the usual ritual, which Michael loved so much. Watching children's cartoons on TV; listen to old music and then have amazing, fabulous sex.  
The next morning Anne- Marie entered the flat at around 9 in the morning. She brought Brendan upstairs and then turned to go towards the kitchen to get some coffee. She heard some rustling from the kitchen and wondered whether James was already up, because he was a typical long- sleeper who never got up before 1 pm.  
What she saw when she entered the kitchen was the most unexpected and shocking thing she had experienced since she had found James hung- over and naked on her front- door while filming 'Shameless'.  
Yes, she had expected her husband, but no wife expects that her husband's best friend, especially when the husband's best friend is Michael Fassbender. Said man was currently standing in front of the coffee machine, pressing a few buttons and waiting for the coffee to fill the cup. He seemed to be completely absorbed in what he was doing, crooning a low melody, which Anne- Marie recognized as …"the Nyan- cat melody"??? Apart from this, Anne hadn't realized the fact that he was wearing nothing but a pair of tight, black briefs.  
She was so dumbstruck that she didn't know what to say, not to mention scream or ask Michael what the hell he was doing half- naked in her kitchen. Her mouth hung open and she grabbed the kitchen door in order to not sink onto the ground.  
Michael heard the slight cracking of the door, but didn't turn around. Oh his Jamesie was already up, hmm he never got up this early…strange. Was James planning on something, maybe hugging him tightly from behind or pressing all against him… preferably without clothes on? But maybe he just wanted some extra- attention, so Michael decided to ask him.  
"Come in, baby. Fancy some coffee?"  
Anne- Marie gasped in shock. Michael Fassbender was standing in her kitchen half- naked asking her whether she wanted some coffee like it was the most normal thing in the world??  
Michael heard James inhale loudly. Since when was James so easy to turn on…sex in the morning? It was ok with him; maybe James was already standing there in the doorway, naked and ready for him. He felt himself stiffen at the thought. Damn it, James! "Do you know how hot you're making me, babe?" he tried to sound as dirty as possible.  
Unfortunately he had been too absorbed in humming 'Nyan- cat' to recognize that the gasping voice was actually female.  
Ah, his coffee was ready. Now he would turn around and see his sweet little James and he would walk over to him and- he turned around grinning, one cup of coffee for him in one hand, one for James in the other.  
His grin faded fast as he jumped, slamming against the kitchenette. The cups fell out of his hands and landed on the floor with a loud crash, fortunately not breaking. There was coffee all over his legs and the floor, but Michael didn't even realize it. He was too shocked and embarrassed finding his lover's wife standing there, instead of him.  
At that moment they both simultaneously screamed. Michael hadn't known anyone could scream so high- pitched. He hadn't known he could even scream so high-pitched. 

James was sure to wake up from it. And there they were; he heard his footsteps on the stairs. Saw his face in the doorway. Luckily James had been alert enough to put on a pair of jogging trousers.  
His face fell when he understood the situation, the cup on the floor, the coffee everywhere. Michael's and Anne's expression was surely enough to tell that something had gone horribly wrong here.  
He turned to his wife first. "Darling what are you doing here-"  
"So early? Did I ruin your little orgy?" James' face went blank and he looked rather taken- aback. He WAS a good actor, after all. Only that this was real- life. No rehearsals; no several takes. James was utterly lost for words, so Michael thought of it as his duty to save the situation, if there was anything left to save. His relationship to James seemed lost and there appeared to be nope hope for them whatsoever. James wouldn't decide for him. Not now anyway.  
Anne crossed her arms above her chest and leaned her head back, sighing. "I knew this had to happen sometime. Ok, James where is she?"  
Now it was Michael's turn to look as puzzled as James. "She?" they asked simultaneously. Was Anne suspecting that they had had invited women to James' flat and partied with them for as long as his wife wasn't there? No, she couldn't be this naïve. He had called her 'babe', after all.  
"Or THEY", Anne- Marie added. "I don't know how many girls you had here last night. Were they pretty at least? Did you have fun?" it was weird how assured she sounded, utterly convinced of the fact that her husband was cheating on her with some random woman.  
"Anne", James turned towards her and looked her in the eyes deeply. "Michael is the only person who has been here last night."  
She looked accusingly at Michael. "So why did he call me 'babe', then?"  
James looked questioningly at Michael. "Did you call her babe?"  
Michael shifted uncomfortably. "Look, this whole situation is absolutely ridiculous; this is all just some weird misunderstanding. I thought that…"  
"Yeah? You thought what, Michael?" Anne's piercing look didn't make it much easier for Michael to explain himself.  
"… I thought that you were James."  
She cocked an eyebrow. "And you call James babe? And get turned on by him?" this made Michael almost laugh. It was paradox that she was willing to accept anything, but the truth. But maybe she didn't need to know the truth…at least not the whole truth.  
"This is just some silly sort of game among us, Anne. Yes, we call each other babe sometimes and we've had a lot of alcohol last night, so I just got a bit cocky."  
Her piercing look vanished. The wrinkles above her eyes seemed to disappear.  
Michael made his way past the couple. This was so freaking awkward. "I guess I'm gonna get dressed and leave the two of you alone.

In the mean time, James pressed his wife against him. She hugged him back, desperately clenching to his chest. "James, I'm sorry I'm so jealous. I'm not a good wife."  
"It's ok; I'm not a really good husband either." He was a pitiful excuse of a husband. He was cheating on her. He was dishonest, a liar and unworthy of such a beautiful loving woman. 

When Michael walked to the door, he briefly saw James and his wife hugging deeply. That wasn't his world; he was just an intruder and no matter how much he loved James, he could never change that.

They didn't see each other for two weeks; neither of them were in a mood for calling when they accidentally met on 'one of the wine and cheese-events' that James tried to avoid as much as possible. He preferred a silent life, but Anne had wanted to go there and since the incident with Michael he didn't feel like complaining and resisting much.  
James made his way through the room, eyes searching for faces that he knew. He saw him, leaning against a bar, talking to the bartender. James didn't know whether to be happy and walk over and talk to him, or to run away hoping that Michael wouldn't recognize him. He decided for the last one and fled across the room.  
The second time, he couldn't avoid contact with Michael. He bumped into him, while pushing his way through the crowd, searching for champagne.  
He looked into a pair of flashing green-blue eyes. "Michael", he breathed.  
"James."  
And he knew that he couldn't flee from the situation.

They went into the men's lavatory and locked the door. As soon as they were alone Michael moved forward and pressed James against the wall. "You were avoiding me." he stated, his baritone low and raspy. James tried to shake his head in denial, but Michael gripped his chin with his right hand. "Don't deny it, James. I saw you staring at me earlier, while I was at the bar."  
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to avoid you I just-"  
"Yeah, I didn't want to call either." Michael stated plainly.  
After this there was no need for words; just muffled moans and sharp gasps that filled the air. They tore each other's shirts off. Between kisses and biting James' neck Michael hissed:  
"I've missed you James. I've fucking missed you and I didn't know just how much until I saw you."  
James just nodded and pressed his head into Michael's shoulder.

 

This had been their first fight and their first reunion. But still, after all the loving words, the cuddling, the sex and every minute they spent together…things were never going to be as before and neither of them knew that yet. All they knew was that they were in love, truly, madly, deeply. And neither of them wanted to give that up until James would decide it was time.  
This had been their first breaking point and there were more to come.  
And the moment the final breaking came the world seemed to stand still and at the same time go wild around them…

 

Breaking part one- an oh so beautiful day  
The day 'the world stood still' started like any other day; in fact it started pretty good for both of them. They spent more time with each other after their reunion and picked up their little habit of hanging out in parks.  
The certain day started with James waking up to his wife and knowing that he'd be spending the rest of the day with Michael.  
First they went eating ice cream and James decided for the really delicious- looking blue one. It turned out not to taste too delicious so James decided to use it for a better way than just eating it. He let it melt and when Michael returned to him with some pistachio- ice cream he saw James licking the little drop running down his cone deliciously off it and looking into Michael's eyes while doing so.  
Michael stopped moving and wished they had stayed at home, so he could do some very mean things to James for arousing him in public. Instead, he walked over to him and pressed his own ice cream against his mouth, almost brutally forcing him to lick it off. All the time they kept their eyes locked and Michael felt like this was the sweetest thing they had ever done; sharing some ice cream. 

After the ice cream they went for a long walk in the park; intensely chatting and laughing until James took his hand and pulled him towards a bench. There they sat in comfortable silence until James got tired and his head lied against Michael's shoulder.  
The sun went lower and grew into a bright amber brilliance. All the time they sat there, enjoying the stars, enjoying each other, no words were needed. Michael knew that they couldn't allow themselves to have many days like that and that was why he cherished it even more. James' hair was tickling against his neck. With the sunset there was a slight but steady temperature drop and they'd decided to get up and leave the park. Just when they were about to get outside, the fountain in the park was turned on, sending dark sparkling water riveting into the sky. James ran to the edge of the fountain, climbed on it and Michael grabbed his hand and helped him to stay on the rim of it.  
He didn't let go of his hand when he jumped down and he knew they weren't supposed to kiss in public, but just this one single time; this moment seemed so perfect for him; he could forget everything and just give himself over to those sparkling blue eyes…. to a smile from those delicious red lips, to James. He would do anything for him.  
He leaned down, cupped James chin with two fingers and kissed him. It was the softest and most tender kiss he had ever given him, their lips not heated and fast, but moving slowly, enjoying each other's taste. He could have stood there forever, holding James, kissing him.  
But they had moved on and Michael was already very keen on trying some of his ice cream fantasies from earlier that day on James. Maybe he could spread the ice cream all over his body and then have James lick it off…  
"What are you thinking about Michael?"  
"Eeerm…how beautiful you look and how much I want to kiss you in public." Sometimes he wondered whether James wasn't just a woman with a **, he did sound a bit like one when he would start asking questions such as these.  
But James grinned cheekily and said:" Yeah, I was thinking about sex, too, Michael."  
Then again, his understanding of Michael's thoughts indicated that he was probably much manlier than Michael had thought and hell, he wouldn't want him otherwise.  
"You don't happen to have ice cream at your place, James?" Michael asked, pulling the smaller man closer towards him.  
"Strawberry flavor, why?"  
"Oh, I have my reasons." They laughed and James knew what Michael was up to, he very much agreed with his plans.  
They hurried to get home as quickly as possible and in all of their flirting, their love- stoned looks and their bodies touching, neither of them realized the low clicking of a camera…


	6. All over the newspapers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it all goes "Boom."  
> Heartbreaking seperation- for those who care: I really, really, really ship James with his wife, she's a lovely, beautiful woman, a talented actress and a good wife :3

James loved this way of waking up: Cuddled to Michael's strong chest, leaning his head against it and inhaling his scent.  
He loved opening his eyes lazily, blinking back sleep and then seeing Michael in front of him.  
Naked.  
He smiled to himself at the memories of the previous night and carefully leaned over Michael to grab the half- empty strawberry ice- cream bowl.  
He sat up next to his lover and put one finger into the warm, yet still delicious ice cream and licked it off slowly.  
After almost- emptying the bowl he got bored and wanted Michael to wake up.   
Then his gazed traveled above the other man's body, which was shifting here and there and giving away small muffled noises.  
A mischievous grin spread across James' face as he dipped his finger into the bowl once more and spread a generous amount of ice cream across Michael's back.

He waited patiently for him to wake up. Only Michael was still in the middle of his slumber and didn't look like he'd noticed the ice cream on his back.   
James then decided to go a step further and give him something to notice.   
He leaned over Michael stabilizing himself with one arm, the other stroking along Michael's hip as he tenderly traced down the line of ice cream with his tongue and mouth. He made sure that every bit of ice cream was gone when Michael finally shifted under him  
. A surprised sound escaped his lips as he realized there was something wet moving along his back. He almost jumped and hit James with his elbow as he turned around.   
"James? What on earth were you doing?"  
James smiled his favorite mischievous smile for him and handed him yesterday ice cream bowl.

Michael understood and grinned before grabbing James and pressing him into the sheets.   
"Naughty little Scott." He growled and started kissing along James' neck, who laughed and tried to push Michael off himself.   
"Haha, get off me! You're heavy and this is tickling me…ah no not there!"  
Michael's lips had progressed moving to James' stomach and attacking there, which caused James to laugh even more and made him gasp for breath.

The beautiful moment was interrupted by the ringing of Michael's mobile.   
He let go off James, who was still laughing and holding his stomach, and got up searching for the nerve- racking thing.  
He found it in his trousers and was going to turn it off and return to James, when he noticed that it was his agent calling.  
What would he want at 10 a.m. on a Saturday? He knew not to call him this early and it was his third call as Michael reckoned.

A slight, but steadily increasing feeling of worry crept up in his stomach and wiped the grin away from his lips. He turned around to James, who sat on the edge of the bed now, his hair standing away from his head in all the wonderful and cute ways.   
"I just have to answer this, it's my agent." Michael said and James must have read the expression on his face, because he didn't say anything, just nodded.  
Michael stepped a few feet away from the bed and leaned against the wall, running a hand across his face while answering,  
"Hey, what's up?"  
Why was he so nervous anyway? It might also be something good. The call for a X- Men First Class sequel maybe. It would be among the happiest days in his life.   
But all of his hope was crushed when he heard the panicked voice of his agent on the other end.  
"Michael? Michael? I called you about three times; don't tell me you didn't hear it."  
"…I didn't-", Michael tried to explain why he didn't hear it, but was cut off by his agent immediately.  
"Anyway, it's good that you finally picked up. Michael, we're in deep sh*t."

He knew it. Perfect days didn't exist, only in fairytales – life certainly wasn't a fairytale.

He went through pretty much every scenario that might have happened. Someone close had died, but then his agent would rather sound sad, not panicked.  
He tried to calm himself down, distract himself mentally focusing his attention on his fingers, stroking his right elbow, which was very tricky to do with a mobile.  
As Michael didn't answer immediately the agent went on.  
"Have you read the newspaper? Remember how we once talked about you making the headlines? Well I think you achieved that pretty well."  
Michael didn't like his tone at all, he sounded sarcastic, hurting.  
He sucked in the air deeply, sighing and building up enough courage to ask what the ** was going on.   
"What the ** is going on? I've had the most beautiful morning in weeks; I woke up-"  
"…next to James?"  
"Exactly and we were going to have coffee and breakfast and- wait how do you even know about….oh **." The truth finally hit him and it hit him hard, shooting through his stomach. Michael leaned against the wall fully and slowly slid down, sinking to his knees. It was too much for his brain to process at the same time. His sight was blurred for a second, and then James was next to him, on his knees too. He heard his voice like it was far away.  
"Michael, Michael what happened – did someone die?"  
Michael just shook his head, a very feeble gesture, but for some reason he managed to get the mobile to his ear once more.   
"How?" he breathed into the phone.  
"It's all over the newspapers, in every ** trash magazine. McFassy – Hollywood's new gay couple or McAvoy cheating on his wife with co- star Fassbender. 

Some amateur- paparazzi must've got a pretty good shot of you two snogging the hell out of each other. What've you been thinking, I mean look at your career, how much we achieved together-"  
Blablabla, Michael hung up on him and buried his face in his hands. James was sitting next to him in silence, still not knowing what was going on, but comfortingly rubbing Michael's knee.   
James leaned forward and whispered, "Whatever it is, you can always tell me."  
The way he looked at him, from his innocent, cute blue eyes.  
Michael wanted to kiss him, kiss him so badly, and hold him once more.   
He was going to tell James of course. And then James would do what? Decide?  
Michael knew that this day had to come sooner or later. He realized how foolish it had been to even assume James would decide for him. He knew there would always be a special place in James heart, save for his family and he couldn't fight against that.  
He didn't want to fight against that and he knew he would lose him either way.   
James hadn't deserved this; he hadn't deserved living in a lie. He hadn't deserved having to live with him.   
At that point Michael made a decision and got up. No comforting touch, there was a stern coldness in his eyes.  
James was obviously puzzled by his sudden movements and remained on the floor.

Michael crossed the room, at this point pretty much aware that he was only wearing boxers and picked his jeans and t- shirt up from the floor. He decided to tell James as casually as possible.  
While pulling the shirt over his head, he began to speak,  
"They know."  
There was no point in glossing it over. James should know the truth and he should know it now, so he could decide which steps to take.  
The other man remained in his position, taken aback by Michael's cold, emotionless tone.  
"Who knows?"  
"Everyone..."  
He closed his zipper and turned around to James, who still didn't seem to understand.  
"And everyone knows what exactly?"  
Michael was starting to feel a little annoyed, but maybe James simply refused to understand it  
. While pulling his socks on he said, "About us, about our…affair (he avoided the word relationship on purpose)- it's all over the newspaper."  
There was a small silence for a few minutes, then a sharp gasp. Michael didn't want to hear or see it, so he turned around and searched for his boots.   
They were lying a few feet away from each other and Michael avoided any eye contact with James, picking them up and putting them on slowly to give James enough time to settle himself. He heard the soft rustling of clothes behind him, footsteps across the room.  
James was getting dressed as well, the faster the better for him.  
Although this was his flat, he had to get away from here. He needed to go outside, get a little bit of fresh air, clear his head, and plan his next step; it was all too much for him.  
When he had put the second boot on he turned around to James again to find him closing the last buttons of his casual brown button-down shirt. He looked as sassy as ever, but there was something strange to his eyes. For a moment they just stood there, taking in each other's looks before James asked in a hoarse voice, "What's going to happen now?"  
Michael felt the urge to just walk over to him and give him a cuddle, the sleepier and happier he had looked a few minutes ago, the more tired and defeated he looked now.  
But he couldn't let that look drive him to digress from his plan; leaving James for his own good. It was almost too hard to think. He wished he could show James how hurt he was; wished he could be the one holding him at night, but he couldn't let that happen, because James would never be able to decide and he would break if he was forced to.  
Michael just had to make it appear realistic, act a little bit, then get outside, get drunk and forget about anything in his ** up life.  
"You must leave." It was supposed to sound commanding, but it just sounded emotionless and empty.  
James lifted an eyebrow. "Why should I leave? Shouldn't we discuss this?  
Look what can be fixed?  
You won't be able to escape from this situation, Michael."  
Escape? He was making the decision easier for him, but James didn't seem too pleased with his plan.  
"We can't look for what can be fixed, there is nothing left to fix. You are going back to your life and I am going back to mine, we pretend this never happened and hope that our careers won't suffer from this, ok?"  
James was furious. "No, not ok! Is that what you care about, Michael, your career?  
What about everything we shared, everything we had? You want to give it all up for money and parties?" he was slowly approaching Michael, his voice softening. 

"There is still hope left, it may be a small hope, but it exists. Michael…I love you."  
He put one hand on the other man's chest and looked deep into his eyes, searching for something, maybe an answer, but Michael was lost for words.  
James had never put it this clearly. They were in love and it was all up to him now.  
The muscles in his face twitched, then he closed his eyes and slowly took James hand away from his chest, caressed it with his fingers and then let go.  
James arm fell back to his side, loose because its owner was gasping as his former lover made his way towards the door and opened it for James to walk through.

James remained where he was fixing his eyes fixed on Michael, who tried to avoid the piercing look.   
"Is this how you're going to end it, Michael? Put your clothes on and go? Thank you for the great time, it was nice shagging you?" his voice was at the edge of shouting and in contrast to him Michael sounded low and exhausted.

"What were you talking about, James? Earlier when you said there is still hope. I don't see it. I can't let you live on like this forever, it doesn't matter which one you choose, you will always be in denial and unhappy."  
"What the ** do you mean, Fassbender? Do you think you know what's going on in my head? I just confessed to you and you're going to wash it away just like that. How are you supposed to know what makes me happy and what doesn't anyway? You know, this sounds like a damn silly excuse for me, where did you even get the 'I'm leaving you for your own good'- crap from, Twilight? If you want to leave me, do it properly or am I not even worth of telling the truth? Do you think me this silly?"  
Michael suddenly felt the urge to smile out of nowhere.  
"I never read Twilight. And I don't know what will make you happy, but I don't think you do either. All I know is that both of us need some space to make sure we're making the right decisions…"  
James was approaching the door slowly.   
"So that's it, then? Making the right decision…I never thought you would be too cowardice to properly finish off, but I guess now I can imagine you getting hooked up with people all over the planet, getting into their lives, enjoying yourself and then leaving without properly saying goodbye. It fits you. Obviously your love can't be that great if you're not even able to fight for it. So if you don't have the courage to say goodbye, then I will. Goodbye, Michael."

Michael's first attempt was to shut off James, put a hand on his mouth, stop the silly babbling and kiss him. James had made it clear; he didn't want him in his life anymore.   
Maybe James would be able to find himself, find the part that Michael knew he must have been missing, his wife and child.  
Maybe if he remained silent as if in defeat, as if it was right what James said, then it may be worse for him, but the better for James.  
He would be able to let go far more easily. His breath shook as he looked into James' blue eyes one last time, before letting him pass through the door. 

The scent, this unforgettable Jamesish scent was all that remained in the air for a little while. Maybe James was hoping he'd come after him, hold him back, shout, kiss him. But he didn't turn around and Michael heard the shutting of the hallway's door a few seconds later.  
He didn't know how long he stood there on the wide opened door until his mobile rang, it was his agent again. He woke up from his numbness, slowly closed the door and picked up. But he wasn't really listening and after a while he just hung up and threw himself on the bed, looking to the ceiling, still numb.  
The next day a plane was going to take off to New York at the London airport and Michael Fassbender would be boarding it. 

James had imagined this moment so many times, feared it, wished for it, but when it came it wasn't like any of his imaginations.  
He still was an honest man and being honest meant telling your wife of your betrayal in your own words.  
Poor Anne had been on her way to a meeting with a friend in a café this morning.  
It was just a few 100 meters to walk and on a traffic light she stopped and took a look at one of the trash magazine's news racks. The traffic light went green, but 

Anne- Marie Duff stood there staring at them shocked. Her eyes were growing wider and wider as she read the lines 'Gay- Men, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were caught making out!'  
She couldn't believe her eyes as she saw a picture of her husband, wrapping his arms around his co-star and kissing him desperately. With shaking hands she picked up the magazine, paid and went home. On the way she phoned her friend, forgotten was the coffee, unimportant the chat. She fumbled her mobile out of her pocket while walking and called Jame's agent.  
Now said man was sitting on the sofa in his living room, his stuffed with people living room.  
There were two press agents, both were very good lawyers, his main agent and Anne- Marie. None of them were taking notice of him.  
He had thought his wife would scream at him, shout at him, slap him across the face, but when he opened the door she pulled him into a huge hug and pressed her face into his shoulder.

Puzzled he started stroking across her back while she was giving away small sobbing noises and when she finally lifted her face from his shoulder, her mascara was all over her red shimmering face. James had smiled politely and tried to whipe the tears away from her cheeks. 

Then she had kissed him. She thought he was unguilty, he couldn’t believe his luck. She thought he was not guilty and wouldn’t leave him.   
Brendan wouldn’t have to grow up like he did, a broken home, a sobbing mother. That had been his aim as a father and as a husband, but his aim had also been to always be truthful. Most of all people to himself.  
That was the moment where James realized that things weren’t going to work out this way. If he was honest with himself and ignored everything else, the kiss felt like relieve, yes, but most of all it felt like kissing his sister. There was no fluttering in his heart, no nervousness and no blushing. Simply trust and warmth and the sounds began to blur around him, because it was then that he understood the difference between love for his wife and love for Michael.  
So now he was sitting on the sofa in his own living room, people bustling around him. He didn’t listen to what they said, a few snippets of conversation here and there.  
“…have to pretend it’s all a Manip.” He heard his agent say.  
“Nice one, maybe some crazy fans have done it, who knows, it might be a fake.”  
One of the lawyers added.  
“It is a fake, isn’t it, James?” he could hear the concerned tone in Annes voice, but he still found himself unable to speak. Truth or everything he had ever wished, lived and hoped for? It was a hard decision, which took time to be made.  
“I’m going to bring that damn newspaper to trial and that paparazzi, too.” His agent was upset.  
“How could they even manage to get all the details from? The expression on James face? Must be professionals, some people really do have no life haha.” The second lawyer mused. “But then again what other photos were these two made of? Does anybody have a clue in which film or interview James wears those clothes?” they were talking as if he wasn’t there in the room.  
“We’re going to send disclaimers out and it will be published this afternoon. The whole picture is photoshopped, the paparazzi lied and will get a trial. After all we know all of the lawyers personally, winning won’t be a problem. At least not, if we’re going to know what steps Fassbender and his agents take.” Oh, no. Please don’t bring Michael into this.  
“Who knows, he’s still fresh in the business, maybe he enjoys it? I haven’t heard of any disclaimers from his side yet…” this man, who had been his contact person for so many years in so many cases started to ramble about Michael as if he knew him.  
As if he knew anything about him or what the two had just gone through. He didn’t give a shit about the disclaimers, he just wanted his lawyer to stop insulting Michael.  
“…or maybe he invented it himself, searched for a good photoshopper to get some press.   
Who know, some people have gone rich through scandals like these…-“  
“Shut the FUCK uuuuuup!” James shouted ‘Wanted’- style. He wouldn’t let this guy presume things he had no idea of. Everyone turned around to him, puzzled. He could read the shock in Annes expression, saw how her hand rose to her mouth. “Ok, time for the truth- I want to set things straight. His name is Michael, don’t call him ‘him’ or ‘Fassbender’, he’s Michael, got it? Now get out of my house, write that freaking disclaimer, get the paparazzi into jail, do whatever you want- just leave me alone with my wife.” He sunk back onto the sofa with a loud ‘uufff’ and waited for the lawyers and his agent to leave to the room. He needed towards them before his agent closed the door behind him and left the two to themselves.  
“Sorry for my sudden burst…I don’t know what…I you didn’t want him to insult Michael.” He sounded pretty weak, he knew that, but Anne just nodded and sat down on the sofa with him. “Then tell me, James. Tell me why you are so furious about this, it had to happen some time and I must say I have been shocked at first by how real this looks, but-“  
“That’s because it is.”  
“…I saw it while waiting for a traffic light and suddenly there was your face flashing over to me and I thought…wait what??” her tone sounded taken aback, but she grinned.  
“I said it is real.”  
His wife grinned on. “Haha, don’t make jokes about this James, I’m trying to be earnest.”  
It was funny how easy it suddenly was to say and think the truth, now that it was out. And she believed everything but the truth.  
“The picture of Michael and me is not photoshopped. It has been taken while we were in the park yesterday. Michael kissed me.”  
It was easy, so easy and yet so hard as he saw the reactions his words caused.  
No loud explosions of words. No shouting, no slapping.  
His wife's eyes filled with tears until her whole face was deformed into a mask of pain and hurt.  
She cried silently, the tears were running down her eyes while she was shaking her head again and again.  
James leaned forward attempting to hug her, but she flinched away from him.   
"Don't…" she sobbed and then. "Tell me everything; I want to know it all."  
James was prepared now. He would tell her the truth, the whole truth even if it meant that she would never talk to him again.  
Even if it meant getting into a dispute about who would keep Brendan, the truth was most important and it was going to be a very long story.   
"Well…", James started and smiled, remembering the evening it all had begun.  
"It started with a suit…and it ended with love."  
His wife sobbed once more and now she let herself being hugged by him. He was a bastard, such a bastard to take her into his arms, but it felt good doing so without lying.   
Now that they were able to talk James felt freer and happier although he knew Michael would never go and talk to him again after he had told him he wanted him out of his life.  
Anne rubbed her cheek against his hair. "Do you…-"  
James knew what she was going to ask.  
"Yes, Anne, I'm in love with him."

* "Whaaaaaaaaaaat??"   
Grandpa is almost suffering from a heart attack. He's lying in his armchair hyperventilating. There are tears running down his cheeks openly and he makes no attempt to hide them from his mysterious, young reader- buddy. But even young guy, who is always acting so cool, keeping everything under control, has tears in his eyes. The fire in the fireplace is almost lapsed and it gets darker, colder and quiet in the room.   
Young guy sighs deeply. "I think that was the last page, it doesn't go any further, the last pages are ripped out of the book. I think this is it."   
"What noooooo! Fairytales are supposed to have a happy end! Especially cute, slashy fairy tales…" Grandpa has come to life again and gets up from his chair. He lifts his right hand into the air in a dramatic pose, saying:" I am not going to eat, sleep or die until this story has a happy end, bet on it! I admit it, I am a McFassy fanpa and with the mighty power of my fanism, we will find the missing pages!" and with that he rips open his old suit and reveals a 'Stay classy, ship McFassy'- shirt under it.  
The young guys eyes widen. "You, too?" he opens his stylish sweater and reveals a 'Spread love all over the universe'- shirt. For a moment they look at each other and start laughing.   
"Come here." Grandpa pulls the young guy into a friendly hug. "And now let's find the pages!"   
Young guy and grandpa are looking all over the old house until after several hours…they give up. "I think it's useless, they're lost." Young guy shrugs.  
"No, it can't be!" Grandpa grumbles. Young guy turns around and goes on searching elsewhere while grandpa sneaks to an old, dusty shelf and pulls out a book, covered in dust. He presses it into young guys hand and says, "You know, when I was your age, I used to read stories like that, either. I found my old copy of '1001 slashy tales." Young guys eyes widen and he flips through the pages only to find the last missing pages dusty, but still in place. They settle into one armchair, young guy sits on grandpa's lap while reading happily…*


	7. Fairytale

Although the years had gone by (well not THAT many years, only one and a half) for the two men and no words were spoken between them for that period, they had not forgotten each other. Infact they often went to watch each others films without knowing the other one did.

The end of our long journey with them starts in the land of the Ire (others may refer to it as Ireland), where a certain ginger- haired hottie in his mid- thirties was walking down the streets of Killarney (it is needless to say that he caused the local hospital to run out of beds for almost every woman he walked past fainted). 

Michael Fassbender went to visit the town he had spent his childhood in, went to visit his family and old friends, went to leave things behind.  
Broken relationships, well relationship is the wrong term here, affairs suits it better.  
Brief encounters with women to distract himself from things he couldn’t forget.  
As time passed he forgot why he even wanted to forget, maybe because then it would hurt less.  
Make him drunk less often, make him less seek comfort in fast, hasty encounters with women.  
Never men, he could never dare to touch a man for it would remind him too much of the only man that he had ever felt anything more than friendship towards. It would feel like betraying him, or his memory of him.  
After their breakup Michael had gone to LA, gave himself over to his job.  
The idea of it was to meet new people, let grass grow over the scandal and find someone he could trust and help him over the whole things.  
Luckily in Hollywood people were used to far worse scandals then the one he had caused.  
They didn’t mention it, nobody talked about it and the paparazzi who shot the picture had been highly rewarded to tell everyone that it was just photoshopped. Sometimes the medias influence on the press and vice versa was scary, but it was something he had to endure as an actor.

Of course things didn’t go as he had planned, they never did.  
He didn’t meet a man or a woman too help him get over it. He didn’t really try either.  
After finishing a film about half a year ago Michael had gone destructive against himself. His friends, family and agents started to remind him of his growing abuse of alcohol and women (or rather their willingness).  
That was the point where his family helped him and like any good family does, took care of him by ordering to come to Killarney. 

Thins went better from then.  
Michael suddenly found taste in other things apart from alcohol and cigarettes again.  
He liked walking through the green countryside, taking some time off had done him good and he was flattered as he discovered that for most of the offers of scripts he got, the directors were comfortable with visiting him in Killarney. He was going to work with Matthew Vaughn next month.  
But for now it was two weeks to Christmas and everyone was busy looking for presents to give to their beloved ones.  
Michael had already found some wonderful presents for his parents and sister and decided to, for celebrating the successfulness of this day, attack the local pub. 

The pub owner was old and knew him well, not only because he worked behind the bar and new every single one of his customers, but also because Michael had been going here regularly throughout all of his life.  
It was about afternoon and usually the place started to fill slowly during the evening and Michael hoped to be alone in there.  
For some reason he felt like talking to the barkeeper about the old times. But he wouldn’t ever come to talk to the barkeeper about anything.  
As he entered and looked around for any familiar faces, he spotted a young guy with tousled half long brown hair leaning against the bar.  
He drank his beer silently and was staring absent-mindedly into the room.  
The barkeeper, obviously not occupied waved at Michael and smiled in his direction.  
The whole pub was empty yet Michael stood straight next to the guy who reminded him so much of "HIM".  
The same hair, maybe the same ocean-blue eyes, too. Maybe it was time to let go, find someone new.  
But even if he did find someone new should it be someone who looked so much like him? He ordered a beer, too while wondering what the boy might look like from the front.  
He started a light chat with the owner, talked about his career.  
People in Killarney didn’t gossip much and he wasn’t afraid of letting anything personal slip. In between he took gulps of his beer and shifted his position several times, always hopeful to catch a glimpse of the guys eyes, but they stayed hidden under his enormous hair until he finished his beer, until the boy turned around to the bar, paid and smiled into Michaels direction.  
His face fell. Brown eyes  
. A muddy brown, not a dark and lustful one. Michael didn’t know why he felt disappointed.  
Did he want to find a replacement?  
The door fell shut and there was an awkward silence between him and the owner until his attention was caught by the cheap TV hanging from the ceiling. 

“Is that one new?”, he asked.  
The old man seemed delighted to be able to show his new acquirement to Michael and switched it on. There was advertisement, typical. Nothing special as the owner flicked through the channels, showing off their amount.  
Suddenly a face caught his eye. He put his hand on the remote.  
“Stop!”, he said maybe a little bit too loudly.  
The barkeeper eyed him surprised but remained on the channel.  
Michael had been right- this was James (only thinking his name hurt). James in a movie- they showed Penelope.  
Michael was dumbstruck.  
He had tried to stay away from any information regarding this man the last few weeks.  
He did want to take time off of anything. And there he was, on the screen.  
Not flicking through any pictures of him on the internet had almost made Michael forget how good he looked, pretty, young.  
Do you follow me, James? Do you haunt me until I admit that still everything reminds me of you? 

That I have had all sorts of women and still I must picture you when I come?  
You will never leave me alone, will you, James? And what if I did meet you, only as friends? We would still be said, at least I would. Maybe you are already over this, you’re still married.  
You’ve got a son and I can’t see a future for us, babe.  
He finished his beer in one big gulp, threw some money on the table and rushed out of the pub.  
He just had to. He hadn’t done it for half a year, but seeing James so clearly, so unexpectedly.  
He had to give in once more and just google him.  
When he was home, he rushed towards his room, the same room that he had spent his childhood in and opened his laptop.  
He tipped slowly ‘James Mcavoy- news’ waiting for the prickling feeling in his stomach.  
The feeling he had felt a million times bigger when he had been around James. Listening to him, touching him. That was the only way to get the feeling again and Michael had to admit being addicted to it in a way.  
Nothing could get him as high as seeing James face through the monitor.  
He waited and the clicked enter, the feeling increased, suddenly exploaded as he read the headline of the first entry.  
Five minutes later a flight was booked to London, Heathrow.

The second person our beloved story is about was at the time to be found sitting in a small café in one of the most beautiful and nice places in the world, London, with his ex- wife.  
Since making their breakup official to the public the two of them could talk freely again, not needing to act like a couple anymore. No more faked smiles and laughter to give the image of a perfect happy couple to the media. The cute Scotsman with the remarkably blue eyes and the sexy accent was happier than he had been in months.  
Things were working well for him. He had a new film coming out next month, the public didn’t gossip too much about him and Anne. Everything was fine, up to one little point.  
His smile faded as he looked up into the weak December sun and noticed that he had thought of Michael again.  
Three times in a row this week. He sighed heavily. He had tried to contact him, but his managers said that he had taken some time off to himself and so James thought it would be best to leave him alone. Of course Michael didn’t want to talk to him. At first everything had looked as if he didn’t want to let go of his wife and of his comfortable, scandal- free lifestyle. But after a year they both had discovered that things weren’t going to work out this way.  
He had to stop living in a lied, faking emotions everyday tired him and his mood sunk. Soon he was just a shadow of his old, smiling self.  
They had stayed friends, of course. He knew she should be shouting at him, should never want to speak to him again and not talk about his problems in a corner café like they did now. But that was Annes way of solving problems that was partly why he had loved her so much. He still needed her support, knew that she knew how much he needed her…and how much he needed Michael.  
She covered his hand with hers, stroked his fingers gently and he gave her a warm smile in response. Yes, everything is fine, Anne. Of course she knew what he had been thinking of.  
“If his agent doesn’t answer your calls that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to talk to you, you know. He could as well have a crappy agent who thinks it’s better for him to not get distracted so easily.”  
James smiled weakly.  
“Yeah, sure.”, he still would fake once or twice when he knew Anne wouldn’t stop talking without him promising that he was alright.  
He still would do a lot to make her belief she was happy, damn he even put on that stupid red tie with little snowmen on it she had given him last year.  
She had reminded him of never having put it on once and he wanted to give her the feeling that her gift was worshipped.  
She pulled something out of her bag, he noticed it was a little note.  
Anne grabbed his hands. “James we both know this isn’t bringing you any further. You need to talk to him again. You can’t carry on living like that, I can’t stand you not being entirely happy all day. You used to smile far more often. So I found out this.”  
She released his hands and put the little note into them. Then she got up, kissed him goodbye on the cheek and left, before he could do anything.  
“Thanks.”, was all he managed to say as he opened the note and started to read.  
There were just a few words written on it. An address located in Killarney, Ireland and under it the name Michael Fassbender.  
Michaels address.  
Michaels fucking address.  
James smashed a few pounds on the table, that should do for their drinks and left almost running down the street. He didn’t even think about taking any kind of luggage with him. He went straight for a taxi and off to the Heathrow airport.  
And there he was, booking the next flight to Ireland, which would arrive in two hours. Far too much time left to think about what Michael would say if he just showed up on his doorstep.  
The first thing invading his mind after the shock of realizing that he was going to see Michael in less than 24 hours was that he needed to pee, right now. So he went straight for the toilet.

 

There was no description for Michaels hate of public toilets, not to mention the ones on the Heathrow airport in London.  
He couldn’t believe he gave the urgent need for the toilet priority to the urgent need of seeing James.  
Since he had checked the internet and found out that James had divorced from Anne- Marie about half a year ago nothing held him back in Killarney anymore.

Luckily the toilet wasn’t stuffed with people and Michael went straight for it, enjoying the release and only taking slight notice of the man who was standing next to him. All he saw was his tousled brown hair and his pricelessly funny red and white tie with snowmen on it. Funny, he thought. James could be wearing this. It could also be James’ hair, it’s got the same color and the same smell.  
The man had now finished, too and was turning around to wash his hands, but Michael grabbed him by his forearm and turned him around.  
“James.”, he exhaled, shocked and breathlessly.  
The younger mans’ eyes widened. “Michael.”  
How could he have forgot how hypnotizing their gaze could be, how blue they were.  
Like open windows to his soul.  
And his smell, oh god he still smelled the same.  
Michael knew he was grinning like an idiot at the dumbstruck face James made until his lips curved into the most beautiful smile, too.  
“I’ve missed-“  
“…yeah me, too.”  
“I didn’t want to-“  
“…me neither, Michael.”  
There were no more words to be said.  
Michael looked towards the floor. He had imagined this moment so often, had dreamed hoped and feared it and now it was there and he didn’t know how to react.  
So he said the first thing that came to his brain.  
“I’ve read Twilight.”  
James burst out into laughter. “We meet after almost two years and you great me with 'I’ve read Twilight' ?”  
“Yeah, you mentioned it in our…our last fight. So I thought I should read it.”  
His voice sounded calm, everything seemed so perfectly clear at the moment.  
He stretched his arm and touched James’ tie, as if to check whether he was real.

Then his hand wondered up to caress his face and nose.  
James made the final step.  
He approached Michael slowly, giving him every second to get away from him, but Michael didn’t. He leaned forward either, his hand remaining on James face.

If there was anything more beautiful in the world than just seeing James, seeing his smile then it was kissing him, which he did at the moment.

They were standing in front of the door kissing slowly, devouring each other as if to explore how much their tastes had changed.  
James broke away first.  
“I’ve made mistakes, Michael. I want you to know that.”  
Michael smiled gently.  
“James, you can’t have made more mistakes than I have and I want you to know that, either.”  
Their lips locked once more and the kiss got more passionate, wilder until they heard a loud rumbling and an old man came out of a toilet cabin, seeing James and Michael kiss and muttering something about todays’ youth and freaky homosexuals. 

James turned around to him but Michael decided it wasn’t even worth showing him the finger, so instead he pulled James towards him and kissed him once more.  
They knew whatever differences they may have or have had, they were insignificant towards their love for each other characters and bodies.  
Michael pulled on James’ tie.  
“Who even gave you this?”  
James chuckled. “Long story, man.”  
“Well, I’d like to hear it. Preferably while you’re wearing this, only this.”  
He whispered into James ear and send shivers down his spine.  
James shook his head and grinned. His bodies’ reactions towards Michael would never end.  
The feeling in his stomach was there again, there was a smile on his lips and they both finally felt complete as they walked outside into the crowded streets of London.

Maybe there are such things as happy endings, at least in their own McFassy - fairy tales.

And so they lived happily ever after.

 

*dramatic music* THE END

*needle scratching sound appears, dramatic music ends*

Stooop, we forgot our dear old grandpa (who has recently converted to the church of McFassy) and his young friend.  
The young guy closes the book and the grandpa is too touched to cry. He spent the last three pages chewing on his fingernails and swinging McFassy flags.  
Now he is exhausted and leans towards the young guy.  
“I’ve got so much to do. You see, I have to open up a McFassy shop, spread their love for them ALL over the universe and find the love of my life. I’m tired of being the old man. Hey fic- writer, change my name into old man who feels younger than ever in his life!”  
“Eeerm…” a mysterious voice from nowhere appears. “But that’s far too long. I can’t write that. By the way when do you think will that shop be set up?”  
Grandpa who feels younger than ever in his life and the young guy look around, puzzled, but the voice has disappeared.  
So young guy stayed with him and helped him to set up the shop, read ‘A thousand and one Slashy Tales’ to him every night and if they haven’t died, they may be still out there somewhere spreading LOVE ALL OVER THE UNIVERSE!!!!

 

*dramatic music the second* THE END (this time for real :P)


End file.
